Five Women’s Teams Will Take Aim at U.S. Best Mark in 4x800-meter Relay

Many of the top women’s middle distance runners in the U.S. and Canada will be on display at Run TrackTown’s High Performance track and field meet at Hayward Field on Saturday, July 26.

Five teams have submitted entries for the women’s 4x800-meter relay, which is shaping up to be one of the night’s featured events.

The meet, which follows Saturday’s session of the IAAF World Junior Championships (2:30 p.m. to 5:35 p.m.) promises a multitude of world-class performers competing for $57,000 in prize money in six individual events and two relays.

The women’s 4x800m relay includes teams from Canada, the New Jersey-New York Track Club, the Pacific Northwest, a Nike All-Star team and one other All-Star quartet.

Among the individual standouts are UO alum Laura Roesler, the reigning NCAA indoor and outdoor 800m champion; 2014 U.S. 800m champion Ajee’ Wilson; 2012 Olympian Geena Lara; 2008 Olympian Erin Donohue; 2012 IAAF World Indoor bronze medalist Erica Moore; and 2011 U.S. indoor champion Phoebe Wright.

The relay teams will be chasing the U.S. best mark of 8:01.58 set at the inaugural IAAF World Relays in The Bahamas last May. The four runners were Wilson, Lara, Chanelle Price and Brenda Martinez.

The world best of 7:50.17 was established by the Soviet Union in 1984.

Here are the complete team entries:

• ·         NIKE ALL-STARS: Laura Roesler, Lea Wallace, Shannon Leinert, Lauren Johnson.
• ·         CANADA: Kailee Sawyer, Amanda Banks, Jenna Westaway, Lindsey Butterworth.
• ·         NEW JERSEY/NEW YORK: Latavia Thomas, Stephanie Charnigo, Cydney Ross, Erin Donohue.
• ·         PACIFIC NORTHWEST: Erica Moore, Phoebe Wright, Kate Grace, Lauren Wallace.
• ·         ALL-STARS: Ajee’ Wilson, Maggie Vessey, Charlene Lipsey, Geena Lara.

Beginning at 5:50 p.m. with the women’s hammer throw, the High Performance meet schedule also includes the men’s 4x800m relay, men’s 110-meter hurdles, women’s 100 meters, men’s mile, men’s triple jump and men’s high jump.

Admission to the meet is free to all those with a ticket for the World Juniors on Saturday.