Marla Runyan, Elva Dryer and Cheri Kenah punctuated Saturday’s Oregon Twilight by running the second-, third- and fourth-fastest 5,000-meter races in the world this year, smashing Annette Peter’s nine-year-old meet record in the process. Runyan won with a time of 15 minutes, 7.66 seconds.
Former Oregon great Marie Davis rode the pace, finishing 13th with a personal record of 16:5.84.
Also, Katy Polansky, a current South Eugene High School student and future Oregon student, produced an Olympic Trials qualifying mark (165-03) in winning the javelin event.
But beyond that, Saturday’s last regular season meet at Hayward Field was all about the Ducks of now.
It was quite the sight for the 3,210 on hand to see eight teammates dressed in bright green-and-gold take their places in the blocks for the 100 meters. Freshman Heather Murtaugh won the race (12.41). Endia Abrante and Shannae McNairy finished second and third, respectively.
“It was kind of weird when we were running the hundred,” sprinter/hurdler Lucretia Larkin said. “We were like, ‘Go Ducks.’
“But we made it fun, ’cause it’s a lot of people’s last meet of the season, so all we can do is encourage each other.”
Larkin herself, is not done.
The redshirt freshman qualified for next weekend’s Pacific-10 Conference Championships at Hayward Field back on April 29 — but that hasn’t slowed her steady progress.
In a two-person race with teammate McNairy on Saturday, Larkin PRd in the 100 hurdles again, improving to 14.25. McNairy also PRd, with a time of 14.39, .05 seconds off of the Pac-10 standard.
“Some surprises,” head coach Tom Heinonen said of the Twilight, “but it was the last chance, and a lot of people made a lot of the last chance.”
Freshman Mary Etter — already qualified in the discus and shot put — made the most of the opportunity, becoming Oregon’s only new Pac-10 qualifier, setting a lifetime best in the hammer throw (163-08.) “Yeah,” Etter said, “I’m pumped for next week. I think I can get more.”
Etter joins school-record holder Maureen Morrison in the hammer, and throws coach Sally Harmon is hoping that a third Oregon rep will be included as well.
“Jordan McDaniels hit 160; she’s in the 160-club,” Harmon said. “I’m gonna be pushing for her to be a wild card.”
Oregon is allotted three wild card entries on its 24-athlete roster limit.
“There are spots available,” Harmon said. “It’s gonna be who is the most qualified to go and I’m gonna be pushing hardcore for Jordan.”
Indeed, McDaniels has hovered around 150-some feet for much of the season before improving on her PR by three feet at the Twilight.
“Jordan’s gonna be in there, hopefully,” Etter said. “She deserves it.”
Other PRs Saturday included freshman Amanda Brown’s 18-10 1/2 long jump, which leaves her two inches short of the Pac-10 standard.
Senior Farrah McCubbin began the final collegiate meet of her career by winning the 400-meter hurdles in a lifetime best 1:04.20. She also won the triple jump with a leap of 36-7 1/2.