BATC Preview: USATF High Performance Meet at Occidental College

On Saturday, May 22, four Bay Area Track Club athletes will toe the line at the USATF High Performance Meet at Occidental College. Set just outside of Los Angeles in Eagle Rock, California, the meet is gearing up to be one of the highlights of the spring track season. Middle distance events, the 800m and 1500m, will be the focus of the meet with heats consisting of Olympians, National Champions, All-Americans, and other world-class runners. 

On the men's side, the BATC's David Torrence is entered in the 800m, and Garrett Heath and Bolota Asmerom are entered 1500m. Torrence will go up against US 800m Olympian Christian Smith as well as a slew of other top-notch middle distance athletes. Fresh off of an 800m personal best at the May 1 Payton Jordan Invitational at Stanford, Torrence has an opportunity to establish himself as a one of the best middle distance competitors in the country. 

In the 1500m, Heath and Asmerom will have the chance to test themselves against some world-class athletes. Olympians Ian Dobson and Leo Manzano are entered, as well as a gang of Oregon Track Club members and other professional runners. The race is shaping up to be one of the best 1500m heats of the year. 

On the women's side, Olympian and BATC member Shannon Rowbury will toe the line in the 800m. She faces an extremely competitive field consisting of Olympians Jenny Barringer, Erin Donahue, and Anna Pierce, as well as professionals Treniere Clement Moser, Geena Gall, Morgan Uceny, and Alice Schmidt. Expect to see some fast times out of this heat of women. 

Check here for live results on the day of the meet.  The order of events is as follows: