Each track season, the Payton Jordan Invitational hosts some of the fastest distance runners in the nation. The elevated competition allows professional and collegiate athletes alike to run season bests, gaining top marks not only to hit NCAA qualifying times, but world and olympic standards as well.
In her 1,500 meter season debut, Jessica Hull took the victory in 4:12.08, outkicking professional Nike athlete Karissa Schweizer by two-hundredths of a second. It was the first 1,500 she has raced since winning the outdoor title at Hayward Field last June.
Though Hull did not set a lifetime best, nearly every other Oregon runner did. In the 5,000 meters, Carmela Cardama-Baez finished runner up and knocked 17 seconds offer her personal best to finish in 15:38.77. The time put her ninth in Oregon’s all-time list.
Susan Ejore dipped just under her personal best, running 2:02.66 in the 800 meters to remain No. 3 in the nation at the distance. Ejore was runner up to Nike’s Hannah Green (2:01.61).
In the fourth section of the women’s 1,500 meters, Taylor Chiotti set another personal record, finishing third in 4:20.29. The three-second improvement is her third lifetime best in two consecutive meets. Amanda Gherich improved four seconds in her second-ever steeplechase, finishing 14th in 10:10.99.
On the men’s side, Reed Brown finished third in a highly competitive 1,500. Brown dipped just under his personal best, running 3:38.76. He was contending to the very end but was edged out by Robert Domanic of Reebok Boston Track Club (3:38.27) and Clayton Murphy of Nike Oregon Project (3:37.59). James West was in the race but fell off to finish last in 3:42.41.
Charlie Hunter and Cooper Teare finished 3-4 in the second section of the 1,500 meters, both the top collegiate finishers in the field. Hunter ran a season-best 3:43.08 and Teare had a personal best of 3:43.13.
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