Schneider & Harris Finish 4th at USA's

Sanford native Rachel Schneider came up just .45 seconds short of a top three finish at the US Track & Field Championship in Des Moines, Iowa on Sunday afternoon.

Schneider who came into the meet with a best of 15:06.71 the fourth best time in the US prior to the weekend was aiming for a top three finish which would have guaranteed her a spot in the World Championship.

Race winner Shelby Houlihan won her third consecutive US title at 5000 meters easily kicking away from the field on the final lap. Houlihan who won the 1500m title on Saturday, said in a post race interview that she prefers the 1500m, and her plan is to run just that race at World's. That means Schneider would be next in line for her spot.

According to a Schneider's Instagram post below she is on the team

Schneider ran a very strong race running in the top 5 over the final 3600 meters on the race. At the bell she was well positioned in second place, and covered her final 400m in 66.17, clocking 15:17.91.

Lewiston native Isaiah Harris came up just short of a top three finish as he had to settle for fourth in 1:46.45. Harris was in first place after a pedestrian opening lap of 54.91. He battled hard down the final stretch running his second 400m in 51.54 but was unable to match the top three. Harris who didn't have the World Championship standard entering the final would have had to run 1:45.80 to ensure a spot to Doha, only race winner Donovan Brazier did so on Sunday.

The men's 5K saw two native Maine athletes Ben True & Riley Masters competing for a spot to the World Championship.

With 2k to go in race True & Masters joined a lead pack of 8 runners who would stay close to each other until a blistering final 400m.

With a lap to go Masters was in 6th & True in 7th they would remain despite Masters closing in 58.63 & True running 60.21. Masters clocked 13:31.39 while True put in a 13:33.13 effort.

South Portland native Steven Smith performed well at his first US Nationals as the NAIA runner-up in the 5k clocked 47:11.86 over 10k to finish 5th overall on Sunday.

On Saturday Kate Hall competed in the long jump where she finished 10th overall with a best effort of 21-6 but missed the final.

Hall had trouble finding the board during her jumps. Her first effort was into a -1.6 headwind yielded a 21-1 1/4 effort,  she fouled on her second attempt which would have been a 22 foot plus effort, and her final jump was her best 21-6 had a 0.5 tailwind but she was still behind the board.