Menegatti's 2:05.70 Is Two Seconds Faster Than Her Start In 2022

Story and Photos by Keenan Gray

SPOKANE – At this time last winter, Maleigha Menegatti opened her indoor season with a 2:07.50 effort in the women’s 800 meters at the Cougar Classic to set a then facility record at The Podium in Spokane.

Flash forward to 2023 and the Boise State standout made her return Saturday to the inland Northwest for the Spokane Indoor Challenge to run 2:05.70, placing her in the top five in the country to start the new year.

“It was good to get out and see how I feel,” Menegatti said. “There really wasn’t any pressure.”

The junior from Pueblo West High in Colorado led from the start, going out in 30.2 seconds in the first 200. She then took full control in the middle 400, running back-to-back 31 second splits, and closed out the race with a 32.6 200 split to secure the invite title. 

“I was just trying to run my own race,” Menegatti said. “Like my own technical cues for each 200. Basically, just focused on my race since there was no one there. Overall, I feel like I executed well.”

Stanford’s Maya Valmon returned to the indoor scene in strong fashion as she came away with the win in the women’s 400 in a personal-best 53.50. The former prep standout from Rockville MD missed an entire season last year due to injuries, but was thrilled to be back on the track after opening up her sophomore season with the No. 3 time in the country.

Max McKhann moved up to No. 4 nationally for the Cardinal after winning the men’s weight throw with a mark of 71-11 (21.92m) on Friday night.

Other top Stanford performances came from freshman Alyssa Jones in the high jump, clearing 6-feet (1.83m), Max Manson going over 17-0.25 (5.37m) in men’s pole vault and Alexa Rossum cruising to a win in the women’s 200, running 23.59.

Mathieu Tshani of the Academy of Art and Bobby Say of Eastern Washington went back and forth in the men’s triple jump, with Tshani coming out with the win in a Division 2 No. 2 mark of 51-1 (15.57m) and Say following with a jump of 50-10.25 (15.50m)

Idaho’s Lorenz Herrmann, an outdoor all-American last spring in the 800, began his junior season with a 1:50.01 effort to win the men’s 800 and put him at No. 9 in the nation. Teammate Zac Bright, a former Idaho Falls standout, was second in 1:52.41.

High school standouts Wes Shipsey of Central Catholic OR and Zack Munson of Sehome WA posted impressive early season marks in preparation for the Lilac Grand Prix mile in two weeks. Shipsey finished third in the men’s 800 in a high school facility record time of 1:52.77 and Munson was sixth in the men’s 3,000, running 8:31.49. 

San Jose State’s Roman Johnson clocked 6.68 to triumph in the men’s 60. 

Cheetah Burrell of G3 Performance improved upon her 60-meter performance of 7.45 seconds from the Spokane Invite in December to run 7.36 to pick up the win. 

Derrick Olsen, a former Montana State hurdler, won the 60 hurdles in 7.80 seconds.

Gonzaga’s Wil Smith won the men’s 3,000 in a personal-best 8:06.60.