2016 Olympian Melissa Bishop-Nriagu wins Sunset Tour 800m

A few of Canada’s top middle-distance runners toed the line in Sacramento, California on Saturday, and it was Melissa Bishop-Nriagu who stole the show yet again. The 2016 Olympian took the win in the women’s 800m in a season’s best time of 1:58.36, a performance that bodes well for her as she heads to the Olympic Games in just a couple of weeks’ time.

There were several strong performers on the line with Bishop-Nriagu, including Canadian 800m champion Lindsey Butterworth and Natalia Hawthorn. The race was tightly packed, and the second and third-place finishers, Americans Sadi Henderson and Sabrina Southerland. crossed the line close behind Bishop-Nriagu in 1:58.62 and 1:58.77, respectively.

Butterworth also ran a strong race, finishing under two minutes for the second time in her career in 1:59.86 for fourth place. Hawthorn, who has been selected to Team Canada for the 1,500m, was just a couple of seconds back, crossing the line in 7th place in 1:02.35.

Toronto’s Sasha Gollish was the only other Canadian competing in Sacramento and placed 9th in the women’s 1,500m in 4:19.39. American runner Sara Vaughn won the race in 4:07.81, followed by Emily Infeld in 4:08.06 and Laura Galvan in 4:08.10.

This was the first meet in the Sunset Tour. Next in the series is the s So Cal at Trabucco Hills High School on July 18, followed by the third and final installment at Mt. Sac on July 21.

posted Sunday July 11th
by Brittany Hambleton