Cochran reinstated as 3200m champ

Bellarmine Prep's Nicole Cochran will be reinstated as a state champion in last month's Washington state Class 4A girls championship track meet, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association said Monday.

Cochran finished more than three seconds ahead of her competition in the girls 3,200-meter run at the May 23 state championships in Pasco, but she was disqualified after an official ruled she had run on the inside lane line.

But a video shot by flotrack.com, a track Web site, showed that it was a Bellarmine Prep teammate who stepped on the inside lane line. The video led many to call for the WIAA to reverse the onsite disqualification of Cochran, who reportedly plans to run next season at Harvard.

After the finalists received their medals following the race, the then-official winner, Andrea Nelson of Shadle Park High School, ran to Cochran and gave her the gold medal. Then Sarah Lord of Redmond gave Nelson her second-place medal, and in turn each of the other girls passed her medal to the girl who crossed the finish line ahead of her.

The WIAA said in a statement Monday that executive director Mike Colbrese reviewed all written documentation provided by the officials who were directly involved with the event and interviewed each one. Colbrese also reviewed all pertinent National Federation of State High School Association rules and WIAA rules and regulations.

"I apologize to all of the participants involved and appreciate their patience while I have sorted through all the information regarding this incident," Colbrese said. "The officials misapplied a rule by not identifying the runner at the time in which the alleged violation occurred. The officials simply made a mistake that was driven by miscommunication and by the fact that both Bellarmine Prep runners entered in the race had similar hip numbers, similar height and similar hair color."

All other finishers and team points will be adjusted. The adjustment had no impact on first through fourth place team finishers.