Though the Oregon track and field team has prepared for hot temperatures during the championship season, the first day of the Pac-12 Track and Field Championships in Tucson, Arizona, brought something different entirely.
Just after 7 p.m., the meet was delayed for over three hours with a lightning delay. The arena and track were evacuated just after the second round of the 100-meter preliminary heats. Competition did not resume until 10:45 p.m.
With seven of the 21 events complete for the men, UCLA has the lead with 58 points, and Oregon is second with 51 points. Four events are completed for the women, Oregon is in fourth with 16 points, and Colorado has the lead with 40.
Tristan James won the long jump, a first for the senior and the third consecutive title for Oregon. The Ducks acquired 21 points from the long jump, with Spenser Schmidt finishing second, and DJ Henderson was sixth.
For the preliminary rounds, runners need to either win the event or have the five fastest times.
Both Emily Sloan and Rhesa Foster are moving on to the finals of the 100-meter hurdles. Eric Edwards Jr. and Joseph Anderson both advanced in the 110-meter hurdles after finishing third and fourth, respectively.
In the women’s 400 meters, both Hannah Waller and Briyahna DesRosiers advanced to the finals, and Waller ran a season best 52.16.
In the 100 meters, Brianna Duncan and Vanessa D’Arpino advanced to the final, and the all members for the men’s 4×100 meters will compete on Sunday as well.
Saturday did see two track finals, and all the field events concluded except for the women’s shot put. The 10,000 meters took place on Saturday. Carmela Cardama Baez, who started the 10,000 meters at midnight, finished fourth in 33:40.88, which started at midnight. Alexis Rigmaiden was sixth in the javelin, throwing 155-2.
Both Jackson Mestler and Amanda Gehrich finished third in the steeplechase final. Mestler ran 8:51.10, and Gehrich finished in 10:16.44
In the men’s hammer, Max Lyndum threw a personal best of 209 feet, 8 inches, to finish seventh in the hammer throw. Washington State’s Brock Eager won the event with his last throw of the event, going 228-8 in total.
The second and final day will kick off at 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Follow August Howell on Twitter @howell_august
