Hasay makes 1,500 final at U.S. Olympic trials

Jordan Hasay turned in the best performance of her short, but spectacular, running career Friday night at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Ore.

Hasay, a 16-year-old from Arroyo Grande who just completed her junior year of high school at Mission Prep, finished fifth in her heat of the women's 1,500 meters to automatically qualify for the final Sunday at Hayward Field. But more impressive than Hasay's fifth-place finish was her time — 4 minutes, 14.50 seconds.

The time not only smashed Hasay's previous personal record of 4:16.98 but also broke the national high school record of 4:16.42 set earlier this season by Christine Babcock of Woodbridge High School. Hasay beat Babcock in a 3,200-meter race at the Arcadia Invitational in April.

Babcock and Hasay were in the same heat of the 1,500 Friday. Babcock finished a distant ninth in 4:20.0. Lindsay Gallo won the heat in 4:12.54.

Hasay's time was the 10th-fastest Friday. Twelve runners advanced to Sunday's final, which will be at 4:05 p.m. The top three finishers in Sunday's race will qualify for the Beijing Olympics if they have surpassed the Olympic "A" qualifying standard of 4:07.0.

For more on Hasay's performance at the Olympic trials, see Saturday's print edition of The Tribune.