American University junior Sophia Staiger from Eastern ran a huge 5,000 PR and the No. 9 time in school history Friday at Ocean Breeze.
Staiger won the 5,000 at the NYC Gotham Cup in 17:50.69, lapping the entire field along the way. She destroyed her PR of 18:27.39 from an outdoor meet in Fairfax, Va., in April (where she finished a step ahead of Moorestown graduate Kate Inglis of Catholic University, also in Washington). This was Staiger’s first indoor 5,000.
Staiger took the lead for good on the sixth lap. After nine laps, she still only led by one second, but she gradually pulled away from the field and ran away with the race, covering her 1,000s in 3:35.09, 3:34.93, 3:38.16, 3:32.76 and 3:29.75.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 