Forbes achieves Olympic Trials standard by clocking 32:24.38 in 10,000 debut and Hamer eclipses Rams’ program record with 28:08.95 effort, as All-Americans highlight several strong performances in Southern California; Oklahoma City’s Zouhair Talbi and Adams State’s Eilish Flanagan prevail in 5,000 races 

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor/Photos by Chuck Utash

For all the exceptional performances achieved in indoor track and cross country by Colorado State senior Eric Hamer and Rice sophomore Grace Forbes during their impressive careers, both All-Americans had yet to add the signature outdoor race to their resumes, especially after missing out on the spring season last year as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Perhaps it was only fitting they both enjoyed those memorable moments Friday in back-to-back races at the Sound Running College Invite in Irvine, Calif.

RESULTS | PHOTOS | INTERVIEWS

Forbes relied on a courageous 69.96-second split over the final 400 meters to clock 32 minutes, 24.38 seconds, narrowly achieving the Olympic Trials standard in the 10,000 meters in her outdoor debut to earn an impressive victory over San Francisco standout and Irish athlete Aoibhe Richardson (32:56.52).

Hamer trailed Cincinnati’s Aaron Bienenfeld entering the final lap, but closed in 60.61 seconds to prevail by exactly a two-second margin, achieving the Rams’ program record in 28:08.95, eclipsing the 2017 mark of 28:11.80 set by Jerrell Mock at the Stanford Invitational.

Bienenfeld, representing Germany, joined Hamer in lowering his 10,000 track personal best by more than a minute to run 28:10.95. He also improved on his fastest 10-kilometer road performance of 28:31 from December.

Fellow Cincinnati senior Alec Sandusky ran 28:40.59 in his career 10,000 debut.

NAIA national champion Zouhair Talbi of Oklahoma City, competing unattached since he only has indoor track and cross country eligibility remaining, clocked 13:39.90 to prevail in the men’s 5,000.

Talbi won the 5,000 title and contributed to Oklahoma City’s victory in the distance medley relay March 4-6 at the NAIA Indoor Championships in South Dakota. The Moroccan athlete, who previously competed at Northwest Kansas Technical College, is among the favorites April 9 to capture the individual crown at the NAIA Cross Country Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Adams State star Eilish Flanagan managed to remain strong following an aggressive first mile, pulling away from the rest of the field in the women’s 5,000 to triumph in 15:57.81.

Flanagan, representing Northern Ireland, became only the fourth female athlete in NCAA Division 2 history to run under 16 minutes multiple times. The senior also produced a 15:40.14 effort Dec. 5 at the Sound Running Track Meet in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.

Adams State had five athletes under 17 minutes, including fourth-place finisher Roisin Flanagan (16:36.84) and Brianna Robles (16:37.29) taking fifth, both behind Liberty’s Adelyn Ackley (16:32.63).

Montana State sophomore Camila Noe lowered her own program record to place second in 16:09.20, an improvement from her March 20 victory in 16:25.20 at Sacramento State.

The middle distance races were highlighted by UC Santa Barbara senior teammates Katie Camarena and Astrid Rosvall both achieving significant personal-best performances.

Neither athlete had run under 4:24 entering the competition, but Camarena prevailed in 4:17.85 and Rosvall, representing Sweden, took second in 4:18.53.

UC Santa Barbara also received a victory from Jarrett Chinn in the men’s 800, clocking 1:50.85, his first sub-1:51 effort since 2018 when he ran 1:50.01 and 1:50.25 in back-to-back races at the NCAA West Regionals.

Montana State junior Patricia Carlson ran a personal-best 2:12.19, lowering her mark from a 2:12.40 effort in 2018 at Long Beach State.

Liberty junior Ryan Drew also improved his 1,500 personal best from 2019, clocking 3:51.18 to hold off former Cal Poly Pomona standout Alejandro Ambrosio (3:51.85).

Cal Baptist’s Cody Beeson clocked 1:06.72 in the men’s 400 and Helen Pacurariu ran 1:11.11 in the women’s 400 for the Lancers.