Former Trinity Western University Spartan and Langley Mustangs Track and Field Club member Regan Yee put on an impressive show at the Harry Jerome International Track Classic, winning the 3,000 metre steeplechase in a record-breaking 9:40.06 Thursday (June 20)at Swangard Stadium.
While Yee’s winning time set the meet record, it left her just .06 shy of the IAAF World Championship qualifying standard.
“It was my first steeple of the season so I wasn’t too sure what to expect in terms of time,” Yee told the Langley Advance Times.
“My plan was to shut the brain off and just trust the pacers for the first mile, and then just focus on racing for the last 3.5 laps. It’s too bad this wasn’t horseshoes because ‘close’ means nothing on the track. It’s more of a ‘do’ or ‘do not’ Yoda-type sport,” she added, laughing.
“But I will hopefully have one or two more cracks at standard before nationals at the end of July.
Yee will continue to pursue the standard as she aims for the 2019 IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar (Sept. 28 to Oct. 6).
READ MORE: Regan Yee takes silver at Canadian Track and Field Championships
Yee was one of several current Spartans and alums competing at the Harry Jerome Classic.
Current Spartans sprinter Kenny Blackman Jr. finished seventh in both the 100m and the 200m.
In the 200m, he edged teammate Ben Tjernagel, who was eighth in 22.71.
Both sprints also featured alums James Linde, who was second in the 200m and fourth in the 100m, and Nick Ayin, who was fourth in the 200m and fifth in the 100m.
Former Canadian 400m champion Nathan George, who took the national title in 2016 and was a U SPORTS champion as a Spartan in the 300m in the same year, finished third in the 400m Thursday night, crossing the line in 47.11.
Langley’s Adam Marshall led the way on the distance side, finishing third in the 1500m national race, while fellow TWU alums Caleb de Jong was seventh in the 3,000m and Aidan Kits was fourth in the 800m national race.
Behind Marshall in the 1,500m national race were alum James Lam of Langley, who was sixth, and current Spartan Nick Colyn from Langley, who was eighth.
On the women’s side, Mikaela Smart was sixth in the 1500m national race.
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