Infeld follows USATF cross country title by edging Jorgensen in indoor opener

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Emily Infeld hadn't competed in an indoor 5,000-meter race in almost two years. Gwen Jorgensen hadn't done so in nearly nine years.

But the Bowerman Track Club athletes produced the top two times in the world this year Friday at the Husky Classic.

Infeld, who captured the USATF 10-kilometer cross country national title Feb. 3, clocked 15 minutes, 15.52 seconds in her return to the track at the Dempsey Indoor facility in Seattle. Jorgensen was right behind in 15:15.64, with both athletes running faster than the 15:17.31 established Dec. 2 by Missouri senior Karissa Schweizer in Boston.

Jorgensen, who is transitioning from the triathlon to the marathon for the next Olympic cycle, had a previous indoor 5,000 personal best of 15:55.63 from March 2009. Her outdoor PR is 15:52.19 from May 2009.

Infeld last raced an indoor 5,000 at the 2016 NYRR Millrose Games, where she produced a personal-best 15:00.91. Her outdoor PR remains 14:56.33 from July in the Netherlands.

In the men's 5,000, Southern Utah senior Mike Tate ran a collegiate-leading 13:37.33, the third-fastest time in the world this year. Tate's effort came just a short time after Syracuse junior Justyn Knight edged Utah State senior Dillon Maggard 13:39.57 to 13:40.57 at the Iowa State Classic.

It was Tate's first collegiate indoor 5,000, with his outdoor personal best still at 13:34.28.