SACRAMENTO, California — Washburn native Carsyn Koch was unable to reach the finals of the 1,500-meter run as she placed last in her preliminary heat and 25th overall out of 30 competitors at the event at the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships.
Koch, who was the only NCAA Division II athlete in the field and was competing in her first USATF championships, recorded a time of 4 minutes and 21.93 seconds in a race held at Sacramento State University’s Hornet Stadium.
She raced just after midnight Thursday and competed in the third preliminary heat, which included 10 runners.
Shannon Rowbury of the Nike Oregon Project won the heat in 4:11.23. Kate Grace, who runs for Nike and placed eighth as the top American in the 1,500 at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, posted the fastest preliminary time of all 30 competitors in 4:09.11.
The runners with the top 13 times qualified for the finals on Saturday, June 24.
Koch recently completed her junior year at Cedarville University in Ohio and is the NCAA Division II national champion in the 800-meter run, winning last month’s race in 2:05.21.
She has dominated the outdoor 800-meter race during her collegiate career by possessing four of the top six times in Division II history, including a best of 2:02.39.
Koch was the 2016 champion in the event and also has claimed national titles in the last two indoor 800-meter runs. She earned an invitation to the 2016 Olympic Trials.
Koch was an elite athlete while attending Washburn District High School from 2010-2014. She won many individual state titles in cross country and track and field and also multiple team titles as a member of the Beavers’ soccer and basketball teams.
She is the daughter of Peter and Liane Koch of Washburn.
