Colorado University Athletics

Coburn Takes Eighth At 104th Drake Relays

Coburn Takes Eighth At 104th Drake Relays
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DES MOINES, Iowa GÇô In a field of some of the nationGÇÖs top 1,500-meter runners, University of Colorado senior Emma Coburn raced to an eighth-place finish through stiff, windy conditions at the 104th Drake Relays on Friday night.

Coburn finished the race in four minutes, 11.36 seconds, the fastest time by a collegiate athlete this year. The previous top time this season was 4:13.64 by Arizona StateGÇÖs Shelby Houlihan. Coburn was just .05 seconds behind New Balance runner Sarah Bowman (4:11.31) and finished well ahead of Morgan Uceny (adidas), who placed 10th in 4:17.71. Coburn was the only NCAA runner in the field.

CoburnGÇÖs time was just shy of her personal best (4:09.42), which she recorded last season while competing unattached. It also tied the fifth-fasted 1,500-meter time in CU history.

The race was her first of the outdoor season and it will be a quick turnaround for Coburn as she is slated to race in her premiere event, the 3,000-meter steeplechase, on Sunday, April 28, at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational, hosted by Stanford University.

Former Buff Jenny (Barringer) Simpson, the reigning world champion in the 1,500, was also competing in the star-studded field and broke the Drake Relays and Drake Stadium record when she crossed the finish first in 4:03.35, four seconds in front of runner-up Sheila Reid (4:07.35). Simpson broke Suzy Favor HamiltonGÇÖs former Drake Relays record of 4:05.14 from 2000. Her mark is the top time in the world this young season.

Simpson is once again training with CU coaches Mark Wetmore and Heather Burroughs after a couple years away from the program. She has also taken on a volunteer coaching role with the program.

Drake Relays

Drake Stadium (Des Moines, Iowa.)

1,500-Meters (London Games Rematch)

1. Jenny Simpson, New Balance, 4:03.35; 2. Sheila Reid, Nike, 4:07.35; 3. Kate Grace, U.S., 4:08.24; 4. Shannon Rowbury, Nike, 4:09.05; 5. Gabrielle Anderson, U.S., 4:10.32; 6. Mary Cain, U.S., 4:10.77; 7. Sarah Bowman, New Balance, 4:11.31; 8. Emma Coburn, Colorado, 4:11.36; 9. Morgan Uceny, adidas, 4:17.71; 10. Ashley Miller, Asics, 4:19.86; 11. Heather Kamph, Asics, 4:20.80; Renee Tomlin, U.S., DNF