© Copyright – 2020 – Athletics Illustrated
Due to the decimation of the 2020 race calendar because of the Covid-19 pandemic, a few fast Vancouver, BC women ran a time trial over 5,000-metres over the weekend. The results were impressive.
Regan Yee with the Langley Mustangs Endurance Group ran a personal best over the distance clocking a 15:08.
“I’m very happy to see my training has me on the right track leading up to the “2020ne” Olympics,” said Yee. “I can’t really call it a race as we were being paced every step of the way by a bike and our male teammate, but nevertheless I am super pleased with that effort and that I was able to run under the Olympic automatic qualifying standard, albeit in a hyper-controlled, unsanctioned environment. It’s good to know that I’m at least physically capable of it!”
Mustang teammate Sarah Inglis finished in the time of 15:15, while two-time Olympian Natasha Wodak ran to a 15:33 result. Alycia Butterworth ran to 3,000m laying down a 9:18 performance.
“It was about where I thought I should be,” said Wodak. “I am hoping to run a 32:30 on Canada Day (Wednesday).”
“Nothing like two people breaking last year’s World Athletics Championships standard and one breaking this year’s Olympic standard [while] training through (and one going top seven Canadian all-time, and another moving closer to top seven Scots) and just thinking it’s another ‘day at the office’ …. oh how expectations have changed,” wrote coach Mark Bomba on social media.
Yee’s official personal best, achieved in May 2019 is 15:31.62. She has competed in the World Cross Country Championships and the Lima Panamerican Games in the 3,000m steeplechase.
Inglis ran her best in July 2019 in Europe setting her official best at 15:25.01. Wodak is the Canadian record holder in the 10,000m event with her performance of 31:41.59.
Butterworth raced an indoors best of 9:48.58 as well as an unofficial 9:16.91 (300m track).
