Palisadian Chapus Wins Mile at Nike Track Nationals

Given the way Cami Chapus has been running all season, her victory in the mile at the Nike Track Nationals on Saturday night at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon was somewhat predictable.

The junior from Harvard-Westlake High has been "on" for every race, but even the best of the best can have an "off" day every now and then. Taking on the top high school runners in the country has not intimidated Chapus one iota--in fact it has motivated her to higher levels of performance--a scary thought for those who have desperately tried to keep up with her.

Saturday's race was yet another shining example of the Palisadian's innate ability to adapt to any situation. She led from start to finish and cruised to victory in a meet record 4:56.15 in the last race of the night. Setting the pace from the outset, Chapus ran the first two laps in 2:35.7 alongside senior Chelsey Phoebus from Lee's Summit West, Missouri.

After a 75-second third lap, Chapus shifted into another gear. Junior Anna Boyert from Medina, Ohio, overtook Phoebus on the bell lap and challenged Chapus into the final turn, but the Palisadian pulled away in the final 25 meters to win by over two seconds.

It was not the strategy Chapus had planned, but that hardly mattered.

"I always think I can do it, I just kick at the end and leave it all on the track," Chapus said in interview moments afterwards, still catching her breath. "Actually, I came into the race not intending to take the lead. It just happened that way so I went with it. You never really know what's going to happen, so I read it and decided to stick with it." 

Chapus had run the anchor leg on the Wolverines' record-setting distance medley relay the week before at the New Balance Nationals in Greensboro, North Carolina, and now heads back east to the World Youth Championships trials in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, which begin Tuesday. She will be joined by Harvard-Westlake teammate Amy Weissenbach, who won the 800 Saturday in 2:08.91.

Click here to watch a video of Cami's latest triumph.

NIKE TRACK NATIONALS

Girls 1-Mile Results

1. Camille Chapus, Harvard-Westlake High, North Hollwyood, CA -- 4:56.15

2. Anna Boyert, Medin High, Medina, OH -- 4:58.42

3. Chelsey Phoebus, Summit West High, Lees Summit,  MO -- 5:02.19

4. Hannah Borowsky, Hopkins High, Minnetonka, MN -- 5:03.51

5.  Darroneshia Lott, Pine Forest High, Pensacola, FL -- 5:09.59

6. Dynasty Gammage, Polytechnic High, Long Beach, CA -- 5:10.40

7. Katherine Kass, Clovis West High, Clovis, CA -- 5:10.60

8. Natalie Wynn, Western Branch High, Chesapeake, VA -- 5:16.33 

9. Paige Senatore, Delsea Regional High, Franklinville, NJ -- 5:17.16

10. Kailey Ulland, Kentwood High, Covington, WA -- 5:22.77

--- Imani Adams, Chandler High, Chandler, AZ -- DNS