Miyamura senior Thomas shocks with 1600-meter win

Posted by Quentin Jodie | Apr 19, 2018 | Track & Field |

WINDOW ROCK

File photo
In this file photo Miyamura senior Ashley Thomas nears the finish line at last fall’s Miyamura Invitational. On Monday, Thomas captured the 1600-meter run at this year’s Marilyn Sepulveda Meet of Champions with a time of 5:19.78 at the University of New Mexico Track Complex in Albuquerque.

Two days after hitting a PR in the 1600-meter run at her home meet, Miyamura senior Ashley Thomas reset that mark with another one at the Marilyn Sepulveda Meet of Champions.

Last Saturday at the Miyamura Invitational, Thomas ran the four-lap race in 5 minutes, 26.41 seconds.

On Monday she bested that time by almost seven seconds as she won the prestigious Sepulveda meet with a time of 5:19.78 at the University of New Mexico Track Complex in Albuquerque in her first-ever invitation.

“After I hit that PR (on Saturday) I wanted to see if I could hit another PR,” Thomas said.

Going into Monday’s meet, Thomas was seeded seventh for the meet and admittedly she wasn’t expected to win.

In fact she trailed two runners in that final lap but with some reserve in her gas tank she managed to upstage Albuquerque Academy’s Zoe Hunter at the finish line as the Lady Charger crossed the finish line at 5:19.84. Third place winner Emily Clarke of Albuquerque Manzano turned in a 5:22.58.
“I just kicked it and when I passed the second girl I felt like I could catch the first girl,” she said. “I think a lot of people were shocked because they didn’t know who I was.”
Miyamura coach Preston Chee said what Thomas did was awesome.
“The top athletes were there at the Sepulveda meet and they pushed her,” Chee said of his pupil. “Everyone was stunned but before the race I told her that she had good strength and it was a matter of working on her speed.”