Cowgirl freshman runs a fast mile

[bladerunnr]

Salma Elbadra ran a 4:35 mile today at the Husky Invite. in Seattle. She is a freshman from Morocco. In her first race about a month ago, she broke the Wyoming mile record by running 4:37. It would be interesting to know how a Moroccan girl wound up at Wyoming. But it's clear she has national class talent like we've never seen at middle distance at UW.

As a track fan, it's exciting to see someone with this much talent in the brown and gold.
Results below.

http://live.pntfo.com/meets/2092024/events/36/Final

[LanderPoke]

Holy moly that's fast!

Between her and Kereem Mersal and Remar Pitter breaking the long jump record there's been some awesome performances this year. Mersal has the biggest jump in the nation currently.

[OrediggerPoke]

I don’t follow track closely. But how does BYU end up with 8 runners (including a Cheyenne girl) who run roughly the same time?

[LanderPoke]

I don’t follow track closely. But how does BYU end up with 8 runners (including a Cheyenne girl) who run roughly the same time?

The cheyenne girl is mormon. Same could be asked of New Mexico - and several other MWC schools that have elite CC programs.

[bladerunnr]

I don’t follow track closely. But how does BYU end up with 8 runners (including a Cheyenne girl) who run roughly the same time?

Byu has a few advantages. First, I think the 2 year mission gives them an unfair advantage. Byu is a real power in track (distance and not sprinting) and cross country. 2 recent Byu runners just finished 1 and 2 in the olympic marathon trials. The winner, Connor Mantz, just graduated from BYU a year ago. He's 27 years old.

There were 9 heats in the Seattle race. Prior race time determines which heat you are in. Salma was in the 2nd fastest heat, which she won. Had she been in the fastest heat, the other girls might have pulled her to an even faster time. Indoors is a bit tricky and drafting is not as effective on a 200 meter track. But I think she could have gone faster had she been chasing instead of leading.

[bladerunnr]

Salma won the women's mile today in the MW championship. She came back less than 2 hours later and finished 2nd in the women's 3k, breaking the school record at the same time.

In sprints and middle distance, which was every running event that had a qualifying heat on Friday, Elbadra was the only runner, male or female, to qualify for a final. She is a special talent and I hope she stays at Wyo.. Just 19 years old, she is just going to get better.

[McPeachy]

I don’t follow track closely. But how does BYU end up with 8 runners (including a Cheyenne girl) who run roughly the same time?

Diversity? LMFAO!