Oregon men’s and women’s track and field both won Big Ten Outdoor team titles on Sunday to complete the first sweep of all six available championships (cross country, indoor and outdoor) in a single year in the conference since 1996-97. Eight Ducks took event wins to secure the dual Triple Crown titles in Nebraska.
Simeon Birnbaum, who set the NCAA 1500-meter record in Eugene earlier this season, was part of the Ducks’ men’s-women’s sweep in the race alongside Juliet Cherubet; Oregon also took both 5000-meter titles with wins from Tayson Echohawk and Dalia Frias; women’s triple jump, discus and 100m hurdles; and men’s shot put.
The women’s triple jump featured three Oregon athletes, and two in the top-three. Freshman Maleigha Canaday-Elliot came in 11th with 12.84m on her final attempt. This topped her first attempt of 12.58m. In third place was sophomore Cassandra Atkins. She finished with 13.52m on her third attempt, which beat her first two of 13.15 and 12.94. In first place was sophomore Sharifa Davronova, who went 14.13m on her only attempt.
In the women’s discus throw, freshman Alicia Khunou threw for 53.86m to qualify for 11th place. In first place was freshman Marie Josée Bovele Linaka, who threw 59.01m on her second attempt, topping her first attempt of 57.12m. She was unable to improve on her next two attempts, but no one else in the event was able to top her either.
The women’s 1500m featured two Ducks, who each finished in the top-five. Senior Wilma Nielson came in fifth in 4:20.28. Finishing first was Cherubet in 4:16.53. The men’s 1500m contained three Oregon athletes. Junior Jeffery Rogers came in ninth in 4:03.15. Just ahead of him was senior Elliot Cook in eighth place in 4:03.07. In first place was Birnbaum, who finished in 4:00.98.
The women’s 100m hurdles saw two Oregon athletes finish in the top-three. In third place was senior Michaela De Mello, who finished in 12.63. Finishing first was senior Aaliyah McCormick, who finished in 12.43.
The men’s shot put had two Ducks finish in the top-five. Sophomore Kobe Lawrence came in fourth with a 19.66m shot. In first place was freshman Ben Smith, who shot 20.88m on his final attempt, topping his first three of 20.13m, 20.21m and 20.56m.
The women’s 5000-meter featured five Ducks in the top-eight. Cherubet came in eighth in 17:09.13. Senior Anika Thompson finished just ahead of her in seventh place in 17:06.78. Sophomore Diana Cherotich came in fourth in 17:01.10. Just ahead of her, senior Silan Ayyildiz finished third in 17:00.55. Then in first place, Frias finished in 16.58.74.
The men’s 5000m had three athletes from Oregon in the top-seven. Senior Evan Bishop finished seventh in 14:12.66. Senior Evan Burke finished barely a step ahead of him, earning fifth place in 4:11.71. In first place was Echohawk, who finished in 14:08.84.
In the women’s 4×100-meter relay, the Ducks came in third with Brazil Neal, Amirah Shaheed, Lakely Doht-Barron and Lily Jones. The four-sum finished in 43.80. On the men’s side, Kai Graves-Blanks, PJ Ize-Iyamu, Grant Valley and Jaelon Barbarin represented Oregon They finished second in 38.47. In the men’s 110-meter hurdles, Graves-Blanks finished second in 13.30. The men’s 100-meter also had a Duck in second place in Ize-Iyamu, who finished in 9.80
