May 10, 2001
Stanford, Ca - Another of Stanford's high-powered track & field meets is slated for Sunday (May 13) when the Cardinal Qualifier takes center stage at Cobb Track & Angell Field.
On May 4, three national records (American, Canadian, Japanese) were broken in the 10,000 meters before an overflow crowd of more than 3,500 fans at the Cardinal Invitational. A similar high-energy meet is slated for Sunday at the Cardinal Qualifier on Stanford's home turf which has become synonymous with fast times, far throws, big jumps and great fans.
Field events start at 4:30 p.m. and the running events at 6:30 p.m.
The meet attracts athletes seeking qualifying times and marks for the NCAA Championships in June, and for post-collegiate athletes needing standards for such events as the USATF and World Championships.
The men's 800 meters will be one of the meet's feature races. Canada's Zach Whitmarsh has the fastest time in the field at 1:46.07 followed by Stanford Olympian Michael Stember at 1:46.20. Also look for championship results from SMU's Roman Oravec who placed fourth at the NCAA Indoor's at 1:47.71. Jeff DeLong of Central Michigan has a best time of 1:47.70.
The women's 800 meters also looks like a championship field with such competitors as Nicole Teter of Reebok Aggies and Diane Cummins of Pacific Sports. Both have run sub-2:02 personal bests. Tanya Wright and Aimee Tereris have run 2:05.31 and 2:06.56, respectively. Stanford has a group of sub-2:07 runners expected to compete.
The men's 1,500 meters always attracts a top field at Stanford's Cobb Track & Angell Field. Former Stanford All-American Jason Lunn has the fastest time in Sunday's field at 3:36.80. Last year at the U.S. Olympic Trials, Lunn finished fourth. SMU's Dalibor Balgac has a career-best of 3:40.76, while Nick MacFalls of the Nike Farm Team has run 3:41.85. Other top competitors include Steve Slattery and Jorge Torres from Colorado, and Mexico's Juan Luis Barrios.
Leslie Higgins and Jodie Hughes from the University of Colorado have NCAA automatic qualifying standards in the 3,000 meter steeplechase and 5,000 meters, but will compete on Sunday in the women's 1,500 meters.
The women's 5,000 meters will feature Kim Fitchen of the Nike Farm Team and Kara Grgas-Wheeler of Colorado. Fitchen won the 5,000 meters at the Stanford Invitational in March, and has the fastest time in the 10,000 meters this year at 32:14.64. Grgas-Wheeler is the defending NCAA 5,000 meter champion and won the 2000 NCAA cross country crown.
The field events will also be strong. The men's discus will include at least four athletes capable of breaking the 200-foot barrier. The list includes Stanford associate head coach Robert Weir (also a Great Britain Olympian), Jarod Rome, and former Washington State All-American Ian Waltz.
Stanford's top throwers will also compete in an attempt to solidify their spots in the NCAA's. Freshman standout Jillian Camarena and school record holder Chad Wassink will compete in their speciality events, the shot put and javelin.
Running Events 6:30pm Men's 110m Hurdles 6:40pm Women's 100m Hurdles 6:45pm Men's 400m 6:50pm Women's 400m 6:55pm Men's 100m 7:00pm Women's 100m 7:10pm Women's 3000m Steeplechase (water jump 60cm past men's) 7:30pm Men's 3000m Steeplechase 7:50pm Women's 800m 8:00pm Men's 800m 8:10pm Women's 5000m (one section) 8:30pm Men's 5000m (one section) 8:50pm Women's 1500m 9:00pm Men's 1500m
Field Events 4:30pm Women's Javelin (followed by Men's Javelin) 5:00pm Men's Hammer (followed by Women's Hammer) 5:15pm Men's Pole Vault (followed by Women's Pole Vault) 5:30pm Men's Shot Put 6:00pm Women's Shot Put 6:15pm Men's Discus (followed by Women's Discus) 6:30pm Women's High Jump 6:30pm Men's High Jump