Hokie ClubBOONE, N.C. – Virginia Tech senior distance runner Tasmin Fanning shattered the school record in the 3,000-meter run on Friday, as the Charlottesville, Va., native and fellow senior Natalie Sherbak finished one-two in the event at the Applachian Invitational in Boone, N.C., the duo’s first indoor track and field meet of the 2008-09 season.
Fanning, who earned her second cross country All-America honor with a third-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships on Nov. 24, crossed the line in first place with a career-best time of 9:08.77, crushing the former Tech record of 9:18.77, set by Kristin Price in 2001. Adjusted to altitude, Fanning’s time came to 9:01.57, more than 14 seconds ahead of the automatic NCAA Indoor Championships qualifying time of 9:15.80.
“It was an outstanding effort,” Tech distance coach Ben Thomas said. “It was a huge personal best, beating her old PR by almost 20 seconds, adjusted to altitude. To do this solo the last 1,500-meters is really outstanding this early in the season.”
Sherbak, who placed second in the 3,000-meter run at last year’s ACC Indoor Championships, finished runner-up with a time of 9:37.97. Converted for altitude, the time provisionally-qualifies the senior for the national meet in the 3,000-meter run.
With today’s performance the Virginia Tech track and field squads got off to an impressive start in the 2008-09 indoor season. Freshman Abby Schaffer and junior Yavgeniy Olhovsky won the women’s and men’s pole vault titles, respectively, in Thursday’s Liberty Kickoff in Lynchburg, Va. The Hokies will next take to the track on Jan. 9 and 10 for the Virginia Tech Invitational at the Rector Field House in Blacksburg, Va.