Rogers, Roesler only two Americans under 2-minute mark in April

Top two times in the world in women’s 800 give Rogers collegiate record and Roesler important momentum heading into IAAF World Relays

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Although Oregon junior Raevyn Rogers set the women’s 800-meter collegiate record Saturday by winning the 59th Mt. SAC Relays in 1 minute, 59.10 seconds, it wasn’t the only significant performance in the race at El Camino College’s Murdock Stadium.

Former Ducks’ star Laura Roesler, the 2014 NCAA Division 1 Indoor and Outdoor 800 champion and Bowerman Award winner, ran 1:59.54, helping create more history in Torrance, Calif.

For the first time, two American women broke the 2-minute barrier in the 800 before May, not to mention accomplishing the feat in the same race.

“It’s always a good field and that was an amazing field,” said Roesler, who broke 2 minutes for the third time in her career and the first since 2014.

“We don’t come to run 2:01. It’s the reason we come to Mt. SAC. It’s always good weather and always good competition. It’s a good early test.”

The only other time a pair of countrywoman both eclipsed the 2-minute mark in the same April race came when East Germany’s Antje Schroeder and Katrin Wuhn clocked 1:58.64 and 1:58.69, respectively, in 1984 in Croatia.

Regina Jacobs was the only American prior to Saturday to run under 2 minutes before May when she clocked 1:59.50 in Jan. 1998 in New Zealand.

Rogers ran the sixth-fastest 800 time in April and Roesler, who opened April 8 with a 2:00.69 at the Spec Towns Invitational in Georgia, improved to No. 8 all-time during the month.

“I’m trying to prove how capable I am of running all these bigger times,” said Rogers, who lowered her personal-best 1:59.71 from 2015.

“I can’t predict (what will happen in June), but it will be a surprise for all of us. I feel like only God knows. I just have to stay consistent with what I’m doing and train hard. It’s all about practice for the big picture and following what my coach has planned for me. Our motto is just to execute the race plan.”

Roesler, who ran 1:59.04 at the 2014 USATF Outdoor Championships and 1:59.44 later that year at a Diamond League meet in Monaco, hadn’t run faster than 2:00.15 since until Saturday.

“It felt good. I just need to work on those last 70-80 meters, but that will come with more races, when I get more race sharp,” Roesler said. “It’s nice to run a strong 1:59. It’s nice to know where I’m at and it shows me the training is going well and that it’s paying off. I’m just looking forward to doing that easily and a little more smooth, so I have to keep staying consistent and keep being able to go out comfortably in 58 and 59 and close well.”

Rogers is scheduled to race next April 27-28 at the 123rd Penn Relays, with Roesler quickly shifting her focus to competing Saturday for the United States in the women’s 4x800 relay at the third IAAF World Relays in Nassau, Bahamas.

Four of the five women in the 4x800 pool competed at the Mt. SAC Relays, with Chanelle Price clocking 2:00.38, Chrishuna Williams running 2:00.41 and Kendra Chambers finishing in 2:01.10.

Although Charlene Lipsey hasn’t raced outdoors yet this year, she clocked 1:58.64 in the 800 indoors Feb. 11 at the NYRR Millrose Games.

Price has an outdoor personal-best 1:59.10, Williams clocked 1:59.59 last year and Chambers has run 2:00.76, to go along with the 1:59.04 from Roesler and 2:00.60 from Lipsey.

The U.S. is seeking its third gold medal in the women’s 4x800, with Price having run on the previous two championship relays, but the potential to break the American record 8:00.62 set in 2015 is also a possibility. Only five countries have ever broken the 8-minute barrier.

“I’m really excited,” Roesler said. “It’s going to be a really fun meet and I hope to come home with some hardware.”