FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — CU track and field redshirt senior Sage Hurta won the 2021 NCAA women’s mile national title Saturday night with a winning mark of 4:30.58.
Hurta ran an intelligent race, sitting behind in fourth through the first half. Around the 500-meter mark, Hurta quickly positioned herself off Krissy Gear’s shoulder from Arkansas, and a few meters later was gapping the field quickly. By the time she reached the finish line with 400 meters remaining, Hurta had already built a five-meter lead.
Gear went with Hurta as best she could, but Hurta’s 2-minute 800 speed was on full display as she dropped a 32.07 lap from 400 to 200 meters, faster than any lap anyone else ran in the race. She then added an extra measure of speed with the bell lap in 31.13 seconds. She finished with a final 800 time of 2:11.
“That was the strategy to go out easy and then take control,” said Hurta following the race. “Over the second half, I knew I was strong and wanted to push it and make sure I was in position to win.”
Hurta becomes just the second Buff to ever win the mile indoors for Colorado, joining Emma Coburn’s title in 2013. She is the 24th individual national champion for Colorado in track and field and her title is the 19th indoor title.
>> Video above: Colorado native Emma Coburn has right mindset on Olympic postponement