Heyward's PR leads OTC Elite at Sound Running Track Meet

Jake Heyward rips some 400-meter repeats at practice leading up to the Sound Running Track Meet. Photo by Jake Willard

By Curtis Anderson | May 21, 2021

EUGENE, Ore. - Personal bests, fast openers and solid competition highlighted the performances of several Oregon Track Club Elite athletes at the Sound Running Track Meet in Irvine, Calif., on May 14 and 15. 

OTC Elite's Jake Heyward led the way with a PR of 3 minutes, 36.24 seconds in the top heat of the 1,500 meters. The native Welshman, who turned 22 in April, finished second to reigning Olympic champion and former Oregon standout Matthew Centrowitz.  

OTC Elite teammates Vince Ciattei and Will Paulson also turned in strong early-season efforts by placing seventh (3:37.37) and eighth (3:37.57), respectively. 

In the top heat of the women's 800m, Hanna Green posted the fastest outdoor season opener of her career with a fourth-place time of 1:59.88, while Sabrina Southerland was eighth at 2:01.00. Chanelle Price was second in another 800m heat at 2:01.61. 

Botswana's Nijel Amos, the 2012 Olympic silver medalist in the 800m, moved up to the 1,500m and clocked a lifetime best of 3:44.04 for ninth place overall. 

Sally Kipyego, who will represent Team USA in the Olympic marathon this summer, finished eighth in the 10,000m with a solid showing of 31:30.25, just five seconds off the Olympic standard. 

OTC Elite plans to send a full crew of athletes to the Portland Track Festival, May 28-29. Tentative entries include Price and Southerland in the women's 800m, Heyward in the men's 800m, and Hassan Mead, Patrick Tiernan, Ciattei and Paulson in the 1,500m. 

In addition, Amos and Green are both expected to compete in the 800m at the Diamond League meeting in Doha on May 28.