Saturday, April 7, 2012

Alaska Anchorage's Micah Chelimo and Susan Tanui set Great Northwest Athletic Conference records Friday at the Stanford Invitational.

Chelimo won his heat of the 5,000 meters in a GNAC record time of 13:53.51, while Tanui ran a GNAC-record time of 10:15.47 in the steeplechase.

UAA's Hallidie Wilt also broke the former GNAC women's steeplechase mark posting a time of 10:31.30. All three times bettered the NCAA Division II automatic qualifying standards.

Four other UAA athletes established provisional national qualifying marks including Ruth Keino who set a school-record with the third fastest 5,000 meter time in GNAC history. She was timed in 16:34.28. Miriam Kipng'eno ran a PNQ of 16:54.43.

Ivy O'Guinn cut 1.10 seconds off her previous PNQ in the 1500 meters in a time of 4:30.83. Her time ranks ninth in GNAC history.

In the men's 1,500, Alfred Kangogo had a PNQ of 3:50.02. Kangogo is the GNAC record holder with a career best of 3:44.67 set last year.

Dan Sprinkle of Western Oregon posted a PNQ in the men's steeplechase with the 10th best time in GNAC history. He had a time of 9:11.28.

UAA's Bryn Haebe earned a PNQ in the women's steeplechase at the San Francisco Distance Carnival finishing eighth in a time of 11:08.23.

Yonatan Yilma placed fourth in the men's 10,000 running the 10th best time (30:48.97). The top finisher at SFSU among the men was Chris Olsen of Western Oregon who had the second best time in the 800 (a GNAC season-best 1:54.02).

On the women's side, Diane Chong of UAA finished second in the 100 (12.87) and UAA's 4x400 relay team also finished second (4:06.14).

San Francisco State Distance Carnival (Apr. 6 at San Francisco): Men (Top 6): 800 - 2. Chris Olsen, WOU, 1:54.02; 4. Isaac Kangogo, UAA, 1:54.58. 10,000 - 4. Yonatan Yilma, UAA, 30:48.97. Women (Top 6): 100 - 2. Dianne Chong, UAA, 12.87; 3. Kelsea Johnson, UAA, 12.93; 4. Shanai Campbell, WOU, 12.95. 200 - 4. Kelsea Johnson, UAA, 26.30; 6. Shanai Campbell, WOU, 26.49. 4x400 Relay - 2. Alaska Anchorage 4:06.14.