Alexa Efraimson of Camas placed sixth out of 10 runners in the women’s 1,500 meters Sunday at the USA Track & Field Indoor National Championships at Albuquerque, N.M.
Efraimson’s time was 4 minutes, 15.57 seconds. She ran 4:15.33 to place seventh in this event two weeks ago at the Millrose Games in New York.
Efraimson, running for Nike, was in seventh place at the 900-meter split and gained ground from there.
Shelby Houlihan of Nike/Bowerman Track Club, won with a time of 4:13.07. Teammate Colleen Quigley was second with a personal best 4:13.21.
Houlihan duplicated her feat of last season by sweeping the two distance races, this year winning the 3,000 on Saturday.
In other events Sunday:
Christian Coleman broke the world indoor record in the 60 meters in 6.34 seconds to win his first U.S. title in the final event of the championships.
Coleman had run a world-best a month ago at the Clemson Invitational, but the mark was not recognized because electronic blocks were not used.
This time there was no doubt when he put on an extra burst about midway through the run, pulling away from former champion Ronnie Baker, who finished with a personal best of 6.40.
“I was just trying to come out with the win,” Coleman said. “I knew it would take something special with a great group of guys in the field and so I was just running to win. The world record was just icing on the cake really.”
Sharika Nelvis set the crowd buzzing with an American record in the 60 hurdles at 7.70.
For Nelvis, Coleman and most other winners and runners-up, at stake was a spot on the U.S. team that will compete in the world championships March 1-4 in Birmingham, England.
Among those who will make the trip, Vashti Cunningham won her third straight high jump, clearing 6 feet, 5½-inches, then received her championship medal from father Randall Cunningham, the former NFL quarterback.
