Ten days after running the 3,200-meter race at the Class 4A girls state track meet, Bellarmine Prep's Nicole Cochran finally was awarded first place.
The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association on Monday reinstated Cochran as the winner, reversing a rules infraction charge made by race officials.
"I was very happy, very surprised when I heard," Cochran said. "I'm thrilled they did the right thing."
On the first day of Star Track XXVI in Pasco, Cochran won the race in 10 minutes, 36 seconds, beating Shadle Park's Andrea Nelson by three seconds. Thirty minutes later, race officials disqualified Cochran, ruling that the Harvard-bound runner ran three consecutive steps inside the lane adjacent to hers. Bellarmine Prep coach Matt Ellis immediately appealed the infraction, but the appeal was denied.
Mike Colbrese, executive director of the WIAA, began reviewing materials last week. He said he read reports written by race officials and interviewed each official involved in the disqualification ruling. Bellarmine Prep athletic director Ed Ploof submitted a report detailing the incident.
"The officials agreed that miscommunication caused the mistake," Colbrese said. "They saw the violation but they did not identify the runner immediately."
Video of the race showed that it was Cochran's teammate who ran out of her lane. Officials also wrote in the disqualification report that the infraction occurred on Lap 7 when it was actually Lap 6.
"Obviously, we're ecstatic and very happy," Ellis said. "Maybe it comes from being coach and being optimistic, but we always thought they were going to do the right thing."
Cochran won't have to receive her first-place medal by mail. Nelson gave it to her moments after receiving it on the awards podium. Redmond's Sarah Lord followed by giving Nelson her second-place medal and other runners followed suit.
"It definitely gave me chills," Cochran said. "It shows how much respect distance runners have for each other."
Cochran's reinstatement also made Bellarmine Prep the highest-scoring girls team in 4A state meet history with 86.5 points. Garfield set the previous record of 82 in 1984.
Staff writer Todd Milles contributed to this report.