With gusts of wind and cold temperatures, Saturday’s Oregon Invitational wasn’t the most ideal setting for good performances. But that didn’t stop the Oregon men’s track and field team from earning 11 personal bests, six Pacific-10 Conference qualifying marks and an NCAA provisional qualifying mark.
The Ducks began their stretch run to the Pac-10 and NCAA Championships in good form, producing several good marks across the board against some of the best competition on the West Coast.
Senior Michael Kasahun produced the day’s top mark in the final race of the day. The Adwa, Ethiopia, native earned an NCAA provisional mark in the 5,000-meters in a time of 13 minutes, 56 seconds, eclipsing the mark by 11 seconds.
“I’m very pleased with that time,” Kasahun said. “I was focused for the meet and maintained my rhythm throughout the race.”
From the gun, Kasahun tucked in behind a trio of elite Japanese runners, led by 2000 Olympian Toshinari Takaoka, and followed them to a personal best.
“They really helped me,” Kasahun said. “They went out fast and I got up in the front. The pace was comfortable for me until three laps to go, then it was tough but I just kept going.”
Just missing an NCAA provisional mark was fellow distance runner Simon Kimata. The Nyeri, Kenya, native continued his rehabilitation from a stress fracture with another seasonal best in the 800-meters. Kimata won the half-mile race in a time of 1:49.03, just three-hundredths of a second off the NCAA mark.
“My goal was to break 1:51 and I did it,” Kimata said. “Last race, the goal was to break 1:55, and before that two minutes. The next time it will be to break 1:48.”
Kimata stayed with the leaders for 550 meters, then surged to a comfortable 25-meter lead and held on for the win.
“It was so windy on the last stretch,” Kimata said. “I knew I had to kick then or I would die.”
The biggest surprise of the day came from junior Tim Overfield, who nearly earned an NCAA provisional mark in the 400-hurdles. The Silverton native placed second in a time of 51.74 seconds, only 0.54 seconds off the provisional mark. His time is an improvement of two seconds from Oregon’s first meet and last season’s personal best.
Improving his stock in the decathlon was junior Santiago Lorenzo. The NCAA automatic qualifier earned three seasonal bests in his last competition before the Pac-10 multi-event championships in three weeks.
Lorenzo won the “B” section of the pole vault with a leap of 16 feet and 3/4 inches and the 110-hurdles in 14.89 seconds. Later in the evening, the Buenos Aires native placed sixth in the 400-meters in 48.8 seconds.
Inside the oval, Oregon throwers continued their success, although the weather had an effect on the marks.
Sophomore John Stiegeler lost to a collegian for the first time this season after dueling with Eastern Washington’s Ryan Cole in the javelin. Stiegeler, still the nation’s top javelin thrower, fell four feet short of his personal best, throwing 241-11 for second place. Cole won the event with a toss of 244-7 for the nation’s second-best mark.
Junior Rian Ingram and sophomore James March both earned personal bests in the shot put, tossing 56-7 and 54-10, respectively. Ingram qualified for the Pac-10 Championships with his throw.
In other events, juniors Micah Harris and Terry Ellis unexpectedly tied for first in the 110-hurdles, which was contested on the east straightway due to a 0.2 mps headwind. Ellis and Harris both ran times of 14.14, just ahead of teammate Jake Garlick (3rd-14.58). After a meeting by timers and judges, a tie was awarded.
“That hasn’t happened to me much before,” Harris said. “I didn’t get out of the blocks as quick as I wanted. I’ll definitely do better at Texas next week.”
The Ducks will split up next weekend for meets in Texas and Stanford, Calif., before returning to home action May 12.