DES MOINES, Iowa – Stanford's Olivia Baker tied a school record in the 800 meters while advancing to the women's final at the USA Track and Field Championships on Friday at Drake Stadium.
Baker ran 2:00.63 to place third in her semifinal heat and finish in top-four qualifying position for Sunday's final at 1:04 p.m. PT. Baker came in with a season best of 2:02.49 from Thursday's first round and a 2016 lifetime best of 2:01.02. Baker matched the Stanford standard by Claudia Saunders in placing second at the 2015 NCAA Championships.
Baker, who graduated with a degree in human biology last week, was a three-time NCAA outdoor 800 finalist with a best finish of second, in 2016, and an 11-time All-America. The time ties her with Saunders for No. 6 on the all-time Pac-12 perfomer's list. She becomes Stanford's first U.S. 800 finalist since Amy Weissenbach in 2013.
This is the second school record in as many days by Stanford women at this meet, following Valarie Allman's winning discus throw of 208-6 (63.55 meters). Together, Allman and Baker helped the Cardinal finish a program-high third in the team scoring at the NCAA Championships.
In the semifinals, Baker and Oregon's Sabrina Southerland became the only collegiate runners to reach the final. However, Baker's time is the fastest by a collegian this year, besting a 2:00.72 run by Southerland earlier this year.
Baker came through the opening lap in 59.03 for a close third and maintained that place with a 1:01.61 second lap, finishing behind only Ajee Wilson and Raevyn Rogers.
In the decathlon, Harrison Williams placed third with 7,848 points. It was the highest finish at a U.S. championship meet by a Stanford decathlete since Bob Mathias won the 1952 title with a world-record score.
Williams suffered some bad luck at this meet the past two years with a pole vault no height in the 2016 Olympic trials and an injury default last year after four events. But Williams shelved those bad memories with a consistent performance.
Williams, the Pac-12 champion, didn't set any personal records over the two-day 10-event competition, but he was steady throughout. The only exception was the 110 hurdles. Williams was more than steady in winning that event in 14.13, the third-fastest time of his decathlon career. That gave him 958 points, his most in the competition. and solidified his hold on third, where he remained the rest of the competition.
In the 3,000 steeplechase, Pac-12 champion Steven Fahy was 10th in his heat and did not advance to the final. Fahy ran 8:38.63 to complete his season. He will return as a fifth-year senior next season.
A member of the Stanford class of '14, Kori Carter, advanced to the semifinals in the women's 100 hurdles. Carter is the world champion in the 400 hurdles, but competing only in her first love, the 100 hurdles, at the year's meet. Carter ran 12.78 to win Heat 3 and advance. The semifinals are Saturday at 12:20 p.m. and the final is the same day, at 2:52 p.m. PT.
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U.S. Championships
At Drake Stadium, Des Moines
Winners and all Stanford-affiliated competitors
Men
3,000 steeplechase semifinals – 19, Steven Fahy (Stanford) 8:38.63.
Decathlon – 1, Zach Ziemek (Adidas) 8,294; 3, Harrison Williams (Stanford) 7,878.
Harrison Williams, by event (event, place in event, mark, points):
First day: 100 – 4, 10.84, 897; Long jump – 6, 23-4 ½ (7.12m), 842; Shot put – 11, 41-11 ½ (12.79m), 654; High jump – 6, 6-5 (1.96m), 767; 400 – 2, 48.16, 901. First-day total – 4,061.
Second day: 110 hurdles – 1, 14.13, 958; Discus – 7, 133-3 (40.62m), 677; Pole vault – 4, 16-2 ¾ (4.95m), 895; Javelin – 7, 169-8 (51.71m), 614; 1,500 – 8, 4:41.13, 673. Total: 7,878.
Women
800 semifinals – 5, Olivia Baker (Stanford) 2:00.63, personal best, ties school record, ties No. 6 Pac-12 all-time. Baker advances to Sunday's final.
100 hurdles first round – 4, Kori Carter '14 (Brand Jordan) 12.78. Carter advances to Saturday's semifinals.
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Stanford's remaining schedule:
Saturday
11:30 a.m.: Men's pole vault final (Garrett Starkey).
12:10 p.m.: Men's javelin final (Flight 1: Trevor Danielson).
12:20 p.m.: Women's 100 hurdles semifinals (Kori Carter), top 4.
2:40 p.m.: Men's 1,500 final (Sean McGorty).
2:52 p.m.: Women's 100 hurdles final.
Sunday
12:10 p.m.: Women's shot put final (Flight 1: Lena Giger).
1:04 p.m.: Women's 800 final (Olivia Baker).
1:22 p.m.: Women's 5,000 final (Vanessa Fraser).
2:30 p.m.: Men's 5,000 final (Grant Fisher, Jack Keelan).
