Huge 3,000 PR Friday for Haddonfield graduate Helene Usher, a sophomore at La Salle.
In just her second college 3,000, Usher ran 9:41.58 at the Dr. Sander Scorcher at the Armory, trimming nearly 18 seconds off her PR. She ran 9:59.04 at Penn Select 10 at Ocean Breeze a year ago this month.
Usher’s time is No. 5 in the Atlantic 10 so far this year and it’s No. 14 on the all-time South Jersey alumni list and 4th-fastest among Haddonfield graduates, behind Olympians Marielle Hall [8:48.72 in Portland, Ore., in 2020] and Erin Donohue [8:55.07 in Lapinlahti, Finland, in 2011] and Greta Feldman [9:40.34 in Newport News, Va., in 2016].
Usher came through 800 meters in 2:35.57, 1,000 meters in 3:14.57, 1,600 in 5:12.09, 2,000 in 6:31.35 and 2,400 in 7:47.33. She negative split 4:52.23 for her first 1,500 and 4:49.36 for her second 1,500.
Cherry Hill East’s Alexis Tepper from UMBC has also been under 10 minutes this season with a 9:56.83 in State College this weekend.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 