Sasha Dehal continued her strong cross-country season this past weekend in Spokane, where she won the Women's 5000m Open Invitational at the NXR Northwest Regional Championships. The meet is one of eight qualifiers for Nike Cross Nationals, one of the premier high school cross-country events in North America. Athletes from multiple states and provinces travel to these regional championships each year in hopes of earning a place on the start line in Portland at the Glendoveer Golf Course.
Dehal rose to the level of competition, finishing first out of more than 850 athletes across all open divisions. She was the only runner to dip under 18 minutes, crossing the line in 17:55.00 and separating herself from a deep, competitive field.
Her performance in Spokane adds to an already impressive run of results this fall. Dehal has picked up wins at the Big Valley Clash, Crescent Park, and the South Fraser Zone Championships. Earlier in the season, she placed fifth in the Elite Girls 5000m at the Nike Hole in the Wall Invitational and earned a silver medal at the AAA BCSS Cross Country Championships.
Dehal has shown consistency with each race, and her effort at NXR Northwest further strengthens her position among the top high school distance athletes in the region. With the Athletics Canada Cross Country Championships approaching, she looks to carry that momentum into the final stretch of her season.