Derek Miles

Des Moines, Iowa – Coyote track and field members Derek Miles and Casey Shade fared well at the USA Championships at Drake Stadium, but both missed standout performances by the smallest of margins. Miles finished second in the senior division of the pole vault, while Shade was ninth in the junior division of the 800 meters.

After competing most of the outdoor season with a stress fracture in his lower leg, Shade (Hartford, S.D.) performed well on Thursday afternoon at Drake on not much training. He was neck-and-neck with the leader through 400 meters, as the third heat ran the first lap in 55 seconds, but three competitors passed him down the back stretch. He was able to battled back to pass one back and finish third in the heat at 1:51.91. The winner of each heat plus the next five fastest times advanced to the final, and unfortunately Shade was edged by .01 of a second as Augustana’s Aduo Omot ran a 1:51.90. The race wrapped up a standout freshman campaign for Shade, after he won the 800-meter title at the Great West Conference Indoor Championships and finished second in the event at the outdoor meet.

On Friday afternoon, Miles (Tea, S.D.) claimed runner-up honors for a season-straight year. He passed on the opening height of 17-6 1/2, before making 18-0 1/2 on first attempt. It took him two attempts to clear 18-4 1/2, as the field whittled down to Miles, Mark Hollis and Jason Colwick. All three competitors passed on 18-6 1/2, before all three missed their attempts at 18-8 1/4. The competition reverted back to the last height made and since Hollis cleared his first attempt at 18-4 1/2, he won. Miles will compete in meets in Europe throughout the rest of the summer months.