After competing at less than full strength during the cross country season as they recovered from whooping cough, Lincoln standouts Sophia Malinoski and Ellery Lincoln are gradually rounding into form during the track season.
Malinoski, the reigning 6A champion in the 800 meters, blitzed to a personal-best 2 minutes, 9.75 seconds in the event Saturday at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational in California. Lincoln, last year's state champion in the 1,500, clocked 2:10.31 to win the 800 at the T Smith Need for Speed Invitational on Saturday at Sherwood High School.
Malinoski, a senior, and Lincoln, a sophomore, have the top two 800 times in the state this season. They are ranked No. 14 and No. 15 on the state's all-time list.
“They were battling back from just being sick all the time,” Lincoln coach Eric Dettman said of Lincoln and Malinoski, who placed third and 18th, respectively, in the 6A cross country meet. “That literally took all fall.”
The UCLA-bound Malinoski beat her previous best of 2:11.65. Her winning time at state last year was 2:13.76.
“Sub-2:10 has been a big goal for a while,” Dettman said. “To finally put it all together in a big meet like that was really exciting. Her training has been great. She's had no setbacks the last three or four months.”
Malinoski started the track season with a bang by recording a personal-best 57.78 in the 400 in a dual meet at Jefferson. Last year, her best in the 400 was 1:00.81.
“I didn't realize she could do that,” Dettman said. “I knew we could get there eventually, but I didn't think she was there yet. We're excited, but I think there's more there.”
At Arcadia, Malinoski showed that she can keep a fast early pace.
“It's the first race where she's gone out in like 62-high,” Dettman said. “That's a little bit different than what she's used to, which is going out a little slower and trying to kick hard. As we continue to progress to the state meet, we'll keep working on that. I think she'll be ready for any style of race.”
Lincoln had a rough go in the fall – visiting a specialist in Denver for vocal chord dysfunction – and had another setback during the winter indoor season.
She planned to run the mile at Nike Indoor Nationals in mid-March, but the day after arriving in New York for the meet, she came down with a fever and was diagnosed with pneumonia. Her recovery delayed preparation for track season by about a month.
At Sherwood, Lincoln came within 0.46 seconds of her PR (2:09.85).
“She's battled a lot from the fall,” Dettman said of Lincoln, the 800 state runner-up to Malinoski last season. “We're literally just getting started with her. She did two-ish workouts before that 2:10. So we're excited about her upside, too. It's just a matter of keeping her healthy. I think once we do that, the sky's the limit.”
Lincoln ran the 1,500 in 4:20.89 as a freshman, No. 5 all-time in Oregon. She plans to run the event for the first time this season when she races in the mile at the Nike/Jesuit Twilight Relays on April 25.
“She loves the mile. I think that's probably her favorite event,” Dettman said. “Whether it's her best, I think it's probably a tossup between the two.”
Now that Malinoski and Lincoln are healthy, they will be able to train together, a key factor in their success.
“Starting this week, they'll get back into it together, which is great,” Dettman said.
Blazing Comets
Crater seniors Josiah Tostenson and Kayvon Kitchen – who moved to first and second, respectively, on the state's all-time list in the 1,500 this season – had a strong showing in the 3,200 at the Arcadia Invitational.
Tostenson finished in 8:40.95, second to Mercer Island (Wash.) senior Owen Powell (8:39.86). Kitchen placed fourth in 8:43.94.
Their en route 3,000 times of 8:13.45 and 8:14.16 are the fastest in the state this season. Tostenson's PR from last season (8:09.28) is No. 4 all-time in the state. Kitchen's time Saturday is a personal best, vaulting him to No. 10 on the all-time list.
Olivo clears 200
McNary sophomore Derek Olivo continued his early surge in the javelin by throwing 202-1 on Saturday in the Vic Downs Mac Invite. The state-leading Olivo entered the season with a best of 171-2 and hit 189-0 and 193-3 in his first two meets.
Girls notes
Tualatin senior Campbell Brintnall climbed to No. 7 all-time in the state in the 300 hurdles with her winning time of 43.28 in the T Smith Need for Speed Invitational on Saturday.
In the same meet, Wells senior Avery Coker and Brintnall recorded the state's best times in the 100 hurdles. Coker, the reigning state champion, ran 14.45 and Brintnall finished in 14.47, both personal bests. The times rank 15th and 17th in state history.
Jesuit junior Iman Foster long-jumped a personal-best 19-0 ½ on Friday in a meet at South Pasadena (Calif.) High School. Foster is No. 1 in the state in the long jump and triple jump (39-7 ¾). She is part of a 4x100 relay that has clocked 47.32, No. 1 in the state this season and No. 6 all-time.
jerryu@osaa.org
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