STANFORD, Calif. – In a race that featured the three fastest collegiate times in the country this year, Stanford's Grant Fisher set a meet record of 13:36.77 to win the invitational 5,000 meters at the Cardinal Classic on Friday night at Cobb Track and Angell Field.
Fisher, a junior who is the reigning NCAA outdoor 5,000 champ, responded to final lap surge by Zach Perrin by kicking past the Colorado runner over the final 200 and holding him off down the stretch to break his own year-old meet record of 13:37.77.
Close behind throughout the race was teammate Sean McGorty, the 2016 NCAA outdoor 5,000 runner-up, who ran 13:41.10 to finish fifth. It was McGorty's first race at this distance since the 2016 Olympic Trials final. Jack Keelan became the third Stanford runner under 14 minutes, with a 13:50.48 for 12th.
The race was predictable to some extent. The race was paced for the first two miles and when the rabbits dropped away, an Alabama trio led by Vincent Kiprop kept the pace honest. Fisher tucked behind Kiprop.
"They have three guys who are very talented and can run a really aggressive pace," Fisher said. "I knew they could throw down a hard pace, so once they started going, I kind of latched on. I knew they would make the pack fall apart a little bit and there would be a little more room to go."
Fisher was ready to push when Perrin whipped around at the bell and Fisher momentarily lost his balance around the penultimate curve as Perrin took Lane One in front of him.
"It wasn't that big of a deal," Fisher said. "It was probably more my fault then anything. He made the move and I wanted to cover it as fast as possible and went for it. Got a little tangled up. That's how I am, when someone makes a move, I like to cover it as fast as I can. It almost came back to haunt me."
McGorty, who has a best of 13:24.25, lost contact on the final lap, but shook off the rust with a strong performance.
"Grant executed his race perfectly," McGorty said. "It helps when you're going along for those first two miles to see your teammate right in front of you. I've got some work to do to close the gap, but it was a good step forward."
Over the past two years, the pattern for Fisher and McGorty has been to run a fast 5,000, race the 1,500 at the Pac-12 Championships – Fisher is the defending champion -- and then go back to the 5,000 for NCAA competition.
Both Fisher and McGorty say it's too early to speculate which event they will emphasize this year. McGorty already has a strong 1,500 of 3:40.57 at the Stanford Invitational. Fisher opened his outdoor season with a 1,500 at the Big Meet two weeks ago against Cal and was pushed by Cal's Garrett Corcoran before finishing in 3:44.79.
"I had success last year at the 5K, but that doesn't mean that my success this year will come from the 5,000," Fisher said. "I'm open to the 1,500 or 5,000 in championship racing. I really like the 1,500. It's always fun to hop in one -- I had fun at the Big Meet. But I don't have a set plan where I view myself as a guy who can strictly run one distance. Everything's variable.
"I'm excited to race the 15 and we'll see how it goes. That might lead into postseason races where I feel more confident in the 15 than the 5. Nothing's set in stone."
Said McGorty, "We'll see. We'll go back to work, get in some good workouts and continue to improve in both the 15 and the 5K. It's nice to have options."
* * *
Fiona O'Keeffe runs to a lifetime best in the 5,000 meters. Photo by John P. Lozano.
The nation's top four collegiate times this season in the women's 5,000 all came from the invitational section, won by San Francisco's Marie Bouchard (15:32.95) in a dual with Michigan's Erin Finn (15:33.15). But close behind was Stanford sophomore Fiona O'Keeffe, who shattered her lifetime best by eight seconds, running 15:38.82, despite running largely by herself.
"The main goal for today was just to get regional qualifiers," O'Keeffe said. "That was the plan, to run that pace for the majority of the race and wind it up a little toward the end. I tried to stay focused and be more in the moment of what I was doing. It did get harder at a certain point, but I told myself that I would regret it if I didn't stick my nose in there."
O'Keeffe jumped into Stanford's all-time top-10 performers' list at No. 9, bumping teammate Vanessa Fraser off the list, though Fraser will have opportunities to return.
* * *
Dion Brandt-Sims runs the 400 hurdles. Photo by David Elkinson.
Two Stanford javelin throwers were among five athletes to break meet records in the third-year meet.
Jenna Gray, a two-sport All-American in volleyball and track and field, threw 177-11 (54.24m) to hand teammate and former meet-record holder Mackenzie Little the first home loss in her Stanford career. Little, a junior and two-time Pac-12 champion, had won all six of her previous meets at Cobb Track and Angell Field.
Gray proved she is at a different level when she had four throws over her lifetime best two weeks ago at the Big Meet, including a monster personal best of 178-11 (54.53m).
"I'm glad I could come out and back up those throws with a big throw today," Gray said.
She clearly is more comfortable and in control of the longer approach run that she's using this year.
"Before, I would just go slow and just shoulder it," Gray said. "Now, I'm definitely a lot faster. It feels a lot better, especially on my shoulder and back, because I'm going through it a little more instead of just stopping and whipping it."
Last year, Gray played three sports, including beach volleyball in the spring. This year, her focus remains volleyball. She's practicing five days a week with the indoor volleyball team, which she has helped to the a national championship and into the NCAA semifinals in her first two seasons as the team's starting setter. She tries to squeeze in two days of javelin a week if she can.
"I definitely feel a lot more comfortable," she said.
In the men's javelin, Stanford freshman Liam Christensen, last year's U.S. junior national champion, won with a throw of 220-6 (67.20m), edging teammate Trevor Danielson at 218-2 (66.50m). It was the season debut for Christensen, who would have shattered the Stanford freshman record of 211-4 if he was not redshirting and competing unattached.
Stanford freshman Gabriel Navarro won the men's 200 in 21.24, a personal best. He jumped to a tie for No. 8 on Stanford's all-time performers' list and No. 3 on the Cardinal freshmen list.
Among other winners, Gaby Gayles captured the women's 200 in 24.06, leading a Stanford sweep of the top three spots, with Ashlan Best and Missy Mongiovi in second and third. Jaak Uudmae continued a strong season in the men's long jump by winning in 24-3 ½ (7.40m). He won the Stanford Invitational to open the outdoor campaign at 24-7 (7.49m). And Elise Cranny won the women's invitational 800 in 2:06.01.
The Cardinal Classic continues Saturday with field events beginning at 2 p.m. and running events at 4:50 p.m. Among the expected highlights is the women's 1,500 with Cranny and Fraser competing, at 7:05 p.m.
Jenna Gray won the javelin and set a meet record. Photo by David Kiefer.
* * *
Cardinal Classic
At Cobb Track and Angell Field
Winners and all Stanford competitors
Men
200 – 1, Gabriel Navarro (Stanford) 21.24, PB, No. 8 Stanford AT, No. 3 Stanford frosh AT; 2, Isaiah Brandt-Sims (Stanford) 21.37; 4, Frank Kurtz (Stanford) 21.45.
800 – Invitational: 1, Daniel Kuhn (Indiana) 1:48.14; 3, Hari Sathyamurthy (Stanford) 1:50.86. Sec. 2: 1, Brian Smith (Stanford) 1:51.27; 2, Christian White (Stanford) 1:51.35, PB; 4, Brandon McGorty (Stanford) 1:51.98. Sec. 3: 6, Scott Buttinger (Stanford) 1:52.47; 8, Isaac Cortes (Stanford) 1:53.45. Sec. 4: 5, Nathaniel Kucera (Stanford) 1:56.96; 6, Daniel Book (Stanford) 1:57.31.
5,000 – Invitational: 1, Grant Fisher (Stanford) 13:36.77, meet record; 5, Sean McGorty (Stanford) 13:41.10; 12, Jack Keelan (Stanford) 13:50.48; 16, DJ Principe (Stanford) 14:11.69, PB; 17, Sam Wharton (Stanford) 14:12.12. Sec. 2: 13, Michael Vernau (unattached) 14:35.16.
400 hurdles – Taylor McLaughlin (Michigan) 50.95, meet record; 4, Julian Body (Stanford) 52.45; 5, Daniel Brady (Stanford) 52.51; 8, Lucas Ege (Stanford) 53.74; 11, Colin Dolese (Stanford) 54.69; 13, Dion Brandt-Sims (Stanford) 55.10.
Pole vault – 1, Andrew Lind (Cal) 15-11 ¼ (4.86m).
Long jump – 1, Jaak Uudmae (Stanford) 24-3 ½ (7.40m); 4, Jack Herkert (Stanford) 22-2 ½ (6.77m).
Hammer – 1, Silviu Bocancea (Cal) 205-8 (62.68m); 2, Michael Painter (Stanford) 203-1 (61.91m); 4, Tristen Newman (Stanford) 194-3 (59.22m); 6, Landon Ellingson (Stanford) 171-9 (52.34m), PB; 12, Jake Koffman (Stanford) 152-9 (46.57m).
Javelin – 1, Liam Christensen (unattached) 220-6 (67.20m), meet record; 2, Trevor Danielson (Stanford) 218-2 (66.50m).
Elise Cranny runs to victory in the 800 meters. Photo by David Elkinson.
Women
200 – 1, Gaby Gayles (Stanford) 24.06; 2, Ashlan Best (Stanford) 24.39; 3, Missy Mongiovi (Stanford) 24.74; 7, Michaela Crunkleton Wilson (Stanford) 24.95; 12, Carolyn Wilson (Stanford) 25.30.
800 – Invitational: 1, Elise Cranny (Stanford) 2:06.01; 7, Christina Aragon (Stanford) 2:08.37. Sec. 2: 6, Julia Heymach (Stanford) 2:12.04.
5,000 – Invitational: 1, Marie Bouchard (San Francisco) 15:32.95, meet record; 3, Fiona O'Keeffe (Stanford) 15:38.82, PB, No. 9 Stanford AT; 7, Abbie McNulty (Stanford) 16:07.01. Sec. 2: Cailie Logue (Iowa State) 16:04.32; 5, Jessica Lawson (Stanford) 16:29.43, PB; 7, Julia Maxwell (Stanford) 16:34.92; 12, Hannah DeBalsi (Stanford) 16:47.88.
400 hurdles – 1, Gabby Scott (Colorado) 59.14; 6, Amber Lewis (Stanford) 1:03.94.
High jump – 1, Leah Carter (Nevada) 5-9 ¼ (1.76m); 3, Rachel Reichenbach (Stanford) 5-6 (1.68m); 5, Valerie Przekop (Stanford) 5-4 ¼ (1.63m).
Long jump – 1, Destiny Longmire (San Jose State) 20-4 ¼ (6.20m); 2, Daryth Gayles (Stanford) 19-7 (5.97m); 7, Marisa Kwiatkowski (Stanford) 18-8 ½ (5.70m); 12, Samantha Seaton (unattached) 17-1 ¼ (5.21m).
Hammer – 1, Camryn Rogers (Cal) 210-10 (64.27m).
Javelin – 1, Jenna Gray (Stanford) 177-11 (54.24m), meet record; 2, Mackenzie Little (Stanford) 175-9 (53.56m); 3, Virginia Miller (Stanford) 160-4 (48.88m).
PB = personal best.
* * *
Stanford is set to host the Pac-12 Track and Field Championships on May 5-6 and May 12-13 on Cobb Track and Angell Field. The first weekend, with the multi-event athletes competing, is free to the public. Tickets ($10/adult; $5/student, youth, seniors) are required to watch May 12-13. Fans can save $5 per person by purchasing their tickets online, and in-advance. To secure your tickets for the Championships, visit gostanford.com/pac12track.