Alexa Efraimson Ran Like A Pro
Well, she does have a professional contract with Nike, so that makes sense, but there was a sense of wonder about how Billings High School senior Christina Aragon would fare against the 19-year-old Efraimson in the 1500m finals on Sunday night in Clovis.
The pace went out slow -- like, 75 seconds for the opening quarter slow -- and Virginia state 800m champion Rachel McArthur found herself at the front. The clock read 2:09 with 800m to go and that's when Efraimson charged ahead of McArthur; Aragon was the only one to follow suit as the duo blitzed a 62-second third quarter to pass 1200m in 3:12.
Efraimson got tunnel vision at the bell, running a final winning time of 4:16.75 as Aragon clocked 4:18.07. Efraimson ran 2:07 over the last 800m.
The race was just round two for Efraimson and Aragon, who will meet again in Eugene, Ore. in two weeks for the Olympic Trials. The USATF Jr. Nationals 3K champion, Kate Murphy, will also compete.
Just two short years ago, Efraimson was the one setting national records (3K) and rewriting the prep all-time list in the 1500m. At the time of her professional signing, the then-high school senior's best mark was 4:07.05 (No. 2 all-time) and she went on to set the American Junior record at 4:03.39, which stands as her PR.
Aragon became just the third prep to break 4:10 with her 4:09.27 win at the Portland Track Festival, as she made short work of the professional field to win her section by more than three seconds.