Canada’s 800m superstar Melissa Bishop shows off range, crushes a 1,500m
Canadian Melissa Bishop cruised to the victory and a personal best in the women's 1,500m at the Windsor Open on Saturday evening.
Canada’s 800m superstar, Melissa Bishop, showed her range on Saturday evening at the Windsor Open in southern Ontario handily winning the women’s 1,500m in 4:09.58. She led the entire race and won by six seconds over Brook Handler in meet record time.
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The Eganville, Ont. native, who is affiliated with the Ottawa Lions, broke the club record in the 1,500m and also set a new personal best in the event. The 27-year-old’s main event is the 800m. She won silver at the world championships in Beijing last August following a gold medal performance at the Pan Am Games in Toronto in July.
RECORD ALERT! @BishopMelissa shatters club 1500m record with 4:09.58 win tonight in Windsor! Old record was 4:12.68 by Nathalie Coté in 1998
— Ottawa Lions TFC (@OttawaLionsTFC) May 22, 2016
According to the IAAF, Bishop’s previous best in the 1,500m was 4:17.91, a time she ran indoors in January. She’s the Canadian record holder in the women’s 800m, both indoors and outdoors. Her best in the 800m is 1:57.52.
Melissa Bishop crossing #UWindsor #Lancer track after 4:09 1500 m win at Running Factory Windsor Open. @spikesmag pic.twitter.com/o4aIP7EsJZ
— Alan Wright (@wrightetal) May 22, 2016
On Saturday evening, Bishop was at the front of the three-athlete pack until 400 metres to go. She ran a 64-second final lap to break the race wide open.
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Meanwhile, the men’s race was even more stacked as Olympic medallist and Kiwi Nick Willis paced the field, which included Canadians Nate Brannen and Taylor Milne. Though there were no athletes who hit the Olympic standard for their respective countries, there were seven men below 3:40 including winner Hamish Carson’s 3:36.65, a meet record.
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Brannen already has the Olympic standard in the 1,500m (3:35.42) and proved his fitness for Rio this summer. Now, he must finish in the top-three at the Canadian Olympic Trials in Edmonton in July to secure his spot on the team.
Men’s race footage
Results (Canadians in bold)
Women’s 1,500m (entire field)
1. Melissa Bishop 88 Nike 4:09.58M
2. Brook Handler 93 Saucony 4:15.55
3. Kate Ayers 94 Speed River 4:20.74
4. Sophie Watts 93 Speed River 4:22.22
5. Sydney Badger 96 Unattached 4:28.47
6. Kira Garry 93 Unattached-U 4:30.33
7. Danielle Jossinet 96 Speed River 4:32.53
Men’s 1,500m (top-10)
1. Harnish Carson 87 New Zealand 3:36.65M 3
2. Nathan Brannen 82 Saucony 3:36.84M 3
3. Julian Matthews 87 Saucony 3:36.94M 3
4. Lee Emanuel 84 Great Britain 3:37.10M 3
5. Eric Speakman 89 New Zealand 3:37.44M 3
6. William Leer 84 Very Nice TC 3:38.23M 3
7. Lex Williams 86 Saucony 3:38.77 3
8. Daniel Castle 87 US Military 3:40.16 3
9. Taylor Milne 80 Speed River 3:40.67 3
10. Nicholas Falk 91 U Windsor A C 3:40.83 3
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