Elmore runs 15:15.79 to eclipse 1985 standard of 15:23.03 achieved by Hayes; Eastern Kentucky gets big victories from Abouzouhir and Er Raouy, with Chamberlain, Jenkins, Olemomoi, Rop and Schraft also earning invitational wins on rainy day in Palo Alto

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Photos by Ken Martinez

PALO ALTO, Calif. – Maddy Elmore was originally not even scheduled to be in the marquee section of the women’s 5,000 meters Friday at the Stanford Invitational.

Elmore left Cobb Track and Angell Field as not only the University of Oregon program record holder, but also the No. 9 all-time competitor in collegiate history.

RESULTS | INTERVIEWS

Although Elmore had never eclipsed the 16-minute barrier prior to Friday’s race, she took control near the 4-kilometer mark and never looked back, emerging victorious in 15 minutes, 15.79 seconds, punctuated by a 65.34-second final lap.

Elmore took down the 1985 standard of 15:23.03 established by Oregon Hall of Fame inductee Kathy Hayes, pulling away from Japanese professional athlete Rino Goshima, who secured second Friday in 15:22.33.

Only Australian athlete Jessica Hull, who clocked 15:00.32 during the summer of 2019 at the ISTAF Berlin event in Germany, has achieved a faster 5,000 performance than Elmore during her collegiate career.

Canadian competitor Briana Scott took third in 15:24.74, followed by former Brigham Young All-Americans Anna Camp-Bennett (15:24.95) and Lexy Halladay-Lowry (15;26.60), as well as former Oregon State standout and Canadian athlete Grace Fetherstonhaugh (15:37.87).

Brianna Weidler of UC Davis was the next collegiate competitor in the field, securing seventh in 15:38.45, just ahead of BYU’s Jenna Hutchins clocking 15:39.40.

Northern Arizona’s Annika Reiss won the second section of the women’s 5,000 in 15:44.86, with Mia Cochran from Arkansas prevailing in the third section in 15:57.33.

Alabama’s Hilda Olemomoi triumphed in the top section of the women’s 10,000 by dominating the final 3 kilometers, clocking 32:22.20.

Dani Polerecky, a former Loyola Marymount standout representing McKirdy Trained, placed second in 32:28.31, with Sydney Thorvaldson of Arkansas taking third by clocking 32:36.47, just ahead of Cal Baptist’s Yasna Petrova running 32:36.97, as 14 athletes produced sub-33 performances.

Fiona Smith from College of St. Benedict became the second female athlete in NCAA Division 3 history to eclipse the 33-minute barrier by finishing 13th in 32:57.28.

Kassie Parker of Loras College set the Division 3 record last year at Stanford by clocking 32:36.22.

Washington’s Evan Jenkins and Gonzaga’s Wil Smith produced a thrilling stretch run in the fastest section of the men’s 10,000 to take the top two spots.

Jenkins, competing in his first collegiate 10,000 on the track, produced a 61.17-second closing 400 to hold off Smith by a 28:04.58 to 28:04.77 margin. Smith, who covered the final lap in 60.86 seconds, improved from a 28:24.03 performance last year at Stanford.

Loic Scomparin, a former NCAA Division 2 All-American at Colorado School of Mines, took third in 28:05.57, with Alabama’s Victor Kiprop finishing fourth in 28:07.86, New Mexico’s Evans Kiplagat placing fifth in 28:08.26 and Montana State’s Ben Perrin securing sixth in 28:09.73.

Stanford’s Ky Robinson achieved 12th in 28:15.12, competing 12 hours after winning his section of the 5,000 in 13:35.95, the fastest performance from all six sections combined.

Robinson is preparing for the Australian national team trials to determine the country’s roster for the Paris Olympics, resulting in a limited schedule for the reigning NCAA Division 1 outdoor champion in the 5,000 and 10,000 to achieve his qualifying marks for the West Regional in May in Arkansas.

Eastern Kentucky freshman Taha Er Raouy, representing Morocco, won the top section of the men’s 5,000 in 13:36.76, with Toby Gillen from Ole Miss clocking 13:39.66 to secure second.

Northern Arizona teammates Colin Sahlman (13:38.96) and Brodey Hasty (13:39.73) captured the top two spots in the second section of the men’s 5,000.

Brigham Young’s Riley Chamberlain continued to build on her momentum from anchoring the Cougars to the Division 1 indoor title in the distance medley relay, by emerging victorious in the fastest section of the women’s 1,500 in 4:11.52, holding off fellow sophomore Chloe Foerster from Washington in 4:12.66.

Iowa State’s Ezekiel Rop rallied in the final 50 meters to edge Washington’s Nathan Green, the reigning NCAA champion, in the top section of the men’s 1,500 meters by a 3:40.09 to 3:40.18 margin. Wisconsin’s Jackson Sharp took third in 3:41.02.

Eastern Kentucky’s Abdelhakim Abouzouhir, representing Morocco, withstood a late charge from Montana State’s Rob McManus in the fastest section of the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase to triumph by an 8:37.52 to 8:37.98 margin.

Iowa State’s Janette Schraft produced a significant personal-best effort in the women’s 3,000 steeplechase to prevail in 9:48.20, with Arkansas athlete and Portuguese competitor Laura Taborda taking second in 9:54.71.

Roisin Willis of Stanford, a late addition to the women’s 400-meter field, won the final section in 53.90 seconds for the fastest overall time in the meet.

Shemar Palmer from Fresno Pacific, representing Jamaica, clocked 46.84 seconds to secure victory in the men’s 400.

Stanford’s Samantha Thomas achieved the win in the women’s 400 hurdles in 58.91 seconds.

Washington senior Jonathan Birchman clocked 50.61 seconds in the men’s 400 hurdles to earn the victory.

Cydney Wright of Stanford ran a wind-legal 23.54 to triumph in the women’s 200.

San Jose State teammates Jaden Smith (20.90) and Jeremiah Walker (20.93) captured the top two spots in the men’s 200.

Rebecca Green set the New Mexico State program record to win the women’s invitational shot put with a third-round effort of 54-5.25 (16.59m).

Carolina Visca of Cal, representing Italy, prevailed in the women’s invitational javelin throw with an opening-round mark of 158 feet (48.16m).

Weber State’s Cody Canard triumphed in the men’s invitational javelin competition with a third-round throw of 226-1 (68.93m).

UCLA’s Mayyi Mahama emerged victorious in the women’s invitational hammer throw with a third-round performance of 214-6 (65.38m).

Iowa State’s Kevin Sakson opened the invitational men’s discus competition with a 174-9 (53.28m) effort and the mark held up for the victory.

Following several weather delays, only three athletes decided to return to compete in the women’s invitational pole vault, with Washington State’s Tatum Moku securing the win with a 12-11 (3.94m) clearance.

Jason Smith, a former Long Beach State standout, won the men’s invitational long jump with a second-round leap of 25-8.25 (7.83m).

Stanford’s Alyssa Jones produced a third-round performance of 20-4.50 (6.21m) to prevail in the women’s invitational long jump.