Houlihan and Bowerman Track Club teammate Cranny both achieve Olympic standard, with Grijalva prevailing in thrilling matchup against Teare and Hunter; Centrowitz edges Hocker with final stride, Schadler shines in earlier sections

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor/Photos by Chuck Utash

Shelby Houlihan is the fastest 5,000-meter runner in American history, but she and Bowerman Track Club teammate Elise Cranny were still in search of the Olympic standard Friday entering the Sound Running Track Meet.

Luis Grijalva continues to build his resume as one of the most impressive distance runners ever to compete for Northern Arizona, but the senior demonstrated for the second time in three weeks he is more than capable of racing against some of the best professionals in the nation as well.

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Grijalva covered the final lap in 57.12 seconds to clock a lifetime-best 13:16.75 in the top section of the men’s 5,000, holding off Cooper Teare of Oregon (13:17.13) – both athletes competing unattached – and Drew Hunter of Tinman Elite (13:17.55). Great Britain’s Sam Atkin was fourth in 13:18.57, followed by adidas athlete Eric Avila in a personal-best 13:18.68.

Grijalva’s performance elevated him to No. 2 all-time in the Lumberjacks’ program and No. 15 on the all-dates list in Division 1 history. Teare improved to No. 3 in Ducks’ program history, trailing only Eric Jenkins (13:07.33) and Bill McChesney (13:14.80) on Oregon’s outdoor all-dates rankings.

It marked the second victory this fall for Grijalva over Hunter, also prevailing by a 7:42 to 7:44 margin Nov. 21 at the Tinman Elite 3,000-meter event at Chandler High in Arizona.

Houlihan and Cranny both made significant surges before the 4,000-meter mark to pull away from Dana Giordano, representing Boston Athletic Association, and adidas athlete Emily Lipari.

Houlihan covered the final 400 in 65.85 seconds to prevail in 15:02.55, with Cranny also closing well to clock 15:04.88, both athletes well under the 15:10 Olympic standard.

Houlihan set the American record of 14:23.92 on July 10, with Cranny running a personal-best 14:48.02 on June 30 to elevate to the No. 7 performer in U.S. history, both performances achieved during the summer intrasquad series showcased by the Bowerman Track Club, but not within the window to make those marks eligible for consideration for the Olympic standard.

Lipari ran 15:17.72 and Giordano ran a personal-best 15:18.06 to finish fourth, both securing the U.S. Olympic Trials standard. Eleanor Fulton was sixth in a lifetime-best 15:32.98.

Adams State senior twin sisters Roisin Flanagan (15:38.27) and Eilish Flanagan (15:40.14) both eclipsed the program record, in addition to both athletes running faster than the Northern Ireland all-time mark of 15:50.55, achieved in 2017 by Emma Mitchell.

They also elevated to Nos. 2 and 4 on the all-dates list in NCAA Division 2 outdoor history.

Washington senior Allie Schadler won the second section of the women’s 5,000 in 15:33.47, making her the fastest collegiate performer competing unattached during the event. Schadler improved to No. 2 in Huskies’ program history, trailing only Amy-Eloise Markovc (15:24.16), and ascended into the top 40 in Division 1.

Sarah Lancaster set a club record for Paras360 by finishing second in 15:34.28 and Grace Barnett, representing On Mammoth Track Club, took third in 15:37.60.

Perhaps the most exciting finish of the night came in the third section of the men’s 5,000, with Bowerman Track Club’s Matthew Centrowitz rallying with a 55.37-second final lap to edge Oregon’s Cole Hocker by 13:32.92 to 13:32.95 margin.

Hocker, competing unattached and covering the final 400 in 56.11 seconds, elevated to the No. 5 all-time American U-20 performer.

Tom Anderson of Club Northwest was third in 13:34.05, with Florida State graduate student-athlete Kasey Knevelbaard running a 53.88-second final lap to take fourth in a lifetime-best 13:34.91.

The second section of the men’s 5,000 also featured a thrilling final lap, with Australian athlete Jackson Sharp – competing unattached for Wisconsin – coming from behind to edge Adams State’s Carson Bix with a victory in 13:44. Bix also ran a lifetime-best 13:44.64, followed by Washington State’s Paul Ryan (13:44.95) and Western Colorado All-American Charlie Sweeney (13:45.46) with impressive personal-best efforts.

Theo Medrano of Tinman Elite won the opening section of the men’s 5,000 in 14:01.37, relying on a late surge to edge UC Davis athlete Nathan Kwan (14:01.50).