Ducks' Ayyildiz Runs 4:23.46 In Fast Pro Race To Take Down Katelyn Tuohy's Record

By David Woods for  DyeStat

Kylie Graham photo

University of Oregon milers have won two of the past three Olympic gold medals in the men’s1,500 meters. Now the Women of Oregon are engaged in all-out assault on a collegiate indoor mile record.

Two weeks after a teammate challenged the mile record, Silan Ayyildiz broke it Saturday at Boston University’s David Hemery Valentine Invitational.

The Oregon senior finished fifth in the race. Her time of 4:23.46 broke the collegiate indoor record of 4:24.26 set during a 2023 record spree by Katelyn Tuohy of North Carolina State.

Moreover, in a slower heat 3, Grace Hartman almost erased Tuohy from the N.C. State record book. Hartman won her race by nearly 11 seconds in 4:24.76, was sixth overall and became No. 3 behind Ayyildiz and Tuohy.

Also in heat 1 were Melissa Riggins of Georgetown, 4:24.98, and Margot Appleton of Virginia, 4:25.03, in sixth and seventh. Thus the meet produced the Nos. 1, 3, 5 and 6 performers among collegians. The two others are Tuohy and 2024 Bowerman Award finalist Maia Ramsden of Harvard.

Lucia Stafford, a 26-year-old Canadian, won the top section in 4:21.74. Dani Jones was second in 4:22.45, Lithuania’s Gabija Galvydyte third in 4:22.76 and Taryn Rawlings fourth in a nine-second PB of 4:22.80.

Another Oregon miler, Denmark’s Wilma Nielsen, clocked 4:25.78 two weeks ago at the Dr. Sander Scorcher. That made her No. 4 all-time at the time, and now she is No. 8.

Ayyildiz, 25, of Turkey, prefaced her track season by winning a Big Ten title in cross country and finishing 13th at the NCAA Championships. She transferred from South Carolina to Oregon in January 2024. Last year she was second in the Pac-12 1,500 and 16th in the NCAA 5,000.

All-time collegiate indoor mile

4:23.46 Silan Ayyildiz, Oregon ‘25

4:24.26 Katelyn Tuohy, N.C. St. ‘23

4:24.76 Grace Hartman, N.C. St. ‘25

4:24.83 Maia Ramsden, Harvard ‘24

4:24.98 Melissa Riggins, Georgetown ‘25

4:25.03 Margot Appleton, Virginia ‘25

Ot-4:25.60 Laura Pellicoro, Portland ‘25

4:24.78 Wilma Nielsen, Oregon ‘25

4:25.91 Jenny Barringer, Colorado ‘09

4:26.19 Riley Chamberlain, BYU ‘25

Ot – Oversized track

LSU’s Rose opens with win in 800

In other events:

>> 800 meters. In her first 800 of the year, LSU’s Michaela Rose finished first in 2:01.15. Harvard sophomore Sophia Gorriaran, a world under-20 bronze medalist, and Nielsen were second and third, both in 2:01.27. Ajee Wilson, a five-time world medalist and 2022 world indoor champion, was sixth in 2:02.31.

>> 3,000 meters. Lauren Ryan, a 26-year-old Australian, was narrowly first in 8:41.80. Alabama’s Doris Lemngole, second in 8:41.83, was No. 5 on the all-time collegiate list until three runners from the Husky Classic pushed her to No. 8 by day’s end. Annie Rodenfels was third in 8:46.38.

>> 5,000 meters. Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka clocked 14:51.26 to lead four women under 15 minutes. Great Britain’s Calli Hauger-Thackery was second in 14:55.68, Australia’s Linden Hall third in 14:58.42 and Emily Venters fourth In 14:58.77.

Contact David Woods at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.