NAMPA, Idaho - In the second day of competition at the 2012 NCAA Division I Track & Field Indoor Championships, junior Nachelle Mackie won the national championships in the 800m with a time of 2:03.30, a time that is not only a new school record but also the fastest time in the NCAA this season.
“I took the lead early and although it wasn't necessarily the position I wanted to be in initially, I just kind of realized no one else was going to take it so I needed to take," Mackie said. "Once I was in the lead I told myself that I wasn't going to let anyone take it from me. It's so exciting to be able to fulfill a dream."
Senior Katie Palmer also finished third in the same race, with a time of 2:04.56. Both Palmer and Mackie earned All-America honors from the race.
Christen Guenther, the sole competitor in the field events for the women's team, also competed the second day and finished tenth in the pole vault finals, clearing 4.20m (13' 9.25").
With the amazing performance in the 800m, the women tied for 11th as a team with 19 points. Over the past four years, the BYU women’s track team has had three national champions in the 800m and on the off year BYU still came in second.
After running a 4:03.85 in the mile preliminaries and a 3:57.90 anchor split in the distance medley relay on the first day of competition, senior Miles Batty finished third in the mile finals, with an impressive time of 4:01.86.
Batty was the only competitor for the men on the second day of competition. Overall, the men finished 14th with 12 points.