WSU’s Lagat Claims Fourth In 1,500 Meters Cougs’ Waltz, UI’s Kwaramba Also Named All-Americans For Placing In Top Eight

Bernard Lagat of Washington State finished fourth Saturday in the men’s 1,500-meter run during the final day of the NCAA Track and Field Championships at the University of Indiana.

Lagat, a sophomore from Kenya, finished in 3 minutes, 42.12 seconds. Winner Seneca Lassiter of Arkansas ran a track-record 3:40.22.

WSU’s Eric Kamau, also in the 1,500, finished 10th at 3:47.33.

Sophomore Ian Waltz of Post Falls gave the Washington State men another eighth-place finish in the field. Waltz threw 60 feet, 8-1/2 inches for eighth place in the shot put. Winner Adam Nelson of Dartmouth threw 64-4-1/2.

Waltz was eighth in the discus Friday.

Lagat and Waltz earned All-America honors for placing in the top eight.

The University of Idaho’s Chris Kwaramba, who placed eighth in the men’s triple jump at 51-5-3/4 also earned All-America honors. Idaho took four male athletes to the meet and earned three All-America honors.

Idaho coach Mike Keller said he thought 400 runner Tawanda Chiwira had the best chance to be All-America. Chiwira instead finished 10th in Thursday’s final.

In other events Saturday, WSU’s Hilary Mawindi tied for 11th in the men’s triple jump. Mawindi, a junior from Zimbabwe, jumped 50-2-1/2 but didn’t advance to the final. Defending champion Robert Howard of Arkansas, Thursday’s long jump winner, won with a track-record 55-6-1/2.

Senior Heidi Shultz, the lone WSU woman at the meet, scored 5,027 points to finish 16th in the heptathlon. Brigham Young University’s Tiffany Lott won with 6,211.

Shultz’s best event was the 800, in which she ran a personal-best 2:15.36 for second.

In the team race, Idaho’s men finished 33rd with nine points and WSU’s men scored seven points and finished tied for 40th.

Decathlete Billy Schuffenhauer of the Moscow Track Club will compete at the U.S. Championships Wednesday and Thursday in Indianapolis.