2007 WA Random Track Articles

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http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/h ... aig10.html

Metro League Track and Field | Hale's Hassan wins "tactical" boys 1,600
By Craig Smith
Seattle Times staff reporter
Nathan Hale senior Abdi Hassan took the lead with 300 meters left and won the Metro League boys 1,600 title for the second straight year Wednesday.

"It was a tactical race," said the University of Arizona recruit, who was clocked in 4 minutes, 17.32 seconds, more than six seconds slower than his season's best time.

Washington recruit Max O'Donoghue-McDonald was second in 4:21.75 and his Seattle Prep teammate, Ryan Styrk, was third in 4:22.82 at the Southwest Athletic Complex.

O'Donoghue-McDonald is the state leader in the 3,200 and will run that event when the meet continues Friday. He has the state's best time of 8:59.73, set at the Shoreline Invitational.

Hassan, a Somalian refugee, is the defending Class 3A state champion in the 1,600 and is undefeated in high school at the distance. His remaining Metro events are the 800 and the anchor leg on the 1,600 relay.

Hassan has run fewer races this year in an effort to stay fresh for state.

In the day's only girls running-event final, Holy Names junior Chelsea Burns repeated as 3,200 champion, winning in 11:11.14. Teammate Anna Fero was second in 11:23.4 and Amber Giordan was fourth in 11:33.21, giving the Cougars 23 points in the event.

Holy Names is trying to win the league title for a fourth straight year. The Cougars have the lead after four events with 37 points, 13 more than second-place Ingraham.

O'Dea is gunning for its 10th straight boys crown. The Irish are seventh with 11 points after four events, but 11 events remain to be decided Friday. Bainbridge leads with 25 points and got 10 of those when Cheyne Clark won the pole vault by clearing 13-9.

Notes

• Alameda Ta'amu, a Rainier Beach junior who is a prize football recruit, won the shot with a toss of 54 feet.

• The boys triple jump went to Christian Crain of West Seattle with a jump of 43 feet.

• Cleveland sophomore Olivia Ward won the girls' long jump at 17-1 ½, marking the second straight year a Cleveland athlete has won the event.

• Another sophomore, Nina Koertzinger of Ingraham, won the high jump at 4-8. She had fewer misses than the two other girls who cleared 4-8. Ana Haberman of Ingraham won the discus with a toss of 108-1.