DES MOINES, Iowa – Olivia Baker shattered a Stanford record she had tied only two days earlier, while placing sixth at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Sunday.
Baker ran 2:00.08, breaking the Stanford standard of 2:00.63 that she tied in the semifinals and shared with Claudia Saunders, who had run that while placing second at the 2015 NCAA Championships.
Baker, a senior who graduated last week with a degree in human biology, was the top collegiate finisher Sunday, and strengthened her hold as the sixth-fastest in Pac-12 history.
Baker was in the mix with a lap to go, but even though she dropped two spots over the final 400, she closed with a strong 1:00.99. The school record was the ninth broken by Stanford athletes this outdoor season. Baker, an 11-time All-America, already holds Stanford records in the outdoor sprint medley relay, indoor 400 and indoor 4x400 relay.
Her performance was among five top-6 finishes by 2018 Stanford athletes at the U.S. Championships, including two others on Sunday – Vanessa Fraser's fifth in the women's 5,000 and Grant Fisher's sixth in the men's 5,000. They followed a victory by Valarie Allman in the women's discus on Thursday and Harrison Williams' third in the decathlon on Friday.
Altogether, Stanford's prowess this weekend proved that its extraordinary season, which included a third-place NCAA finish by the Cardinal women and eighth by the men, was no fluke. There was indeed plenty of talent on the Cardinal squad.
Fraser, who was seventh last year while redshirting, ran 15:36.89 and was the second collegian in the field. As is her style, Fraser began conservatively and steadily moved up throughout the race. Fraser, now running for Bowerman Track Club, was in the lead pack and fourth at the bell, but was unable to respond to the swift kick of winner Shelby Houlihan and others, but still held strong for her personal-best U.S. finish.
In what should be the first of many U.S. senior finals in his career, Fisher ran 13:32.00, his fastest time in two years, to finish as the top collegian. Fisher maintained his spot in the lead pack all the way until the final lap, but still closed with a 57.79 final 400 and a 1:59.09 final 800. Teammate Jack Keelan was 16th in the same race, in 14:16.47.
The 21-year-old Fisher, the 2017 NCAA outdoor 5,000 champ and reigning Pac-12 cross country champion, was the youngest in the field. He enters his senior season this fall.
In the women's shot put, Lena Giger was 13th at 55-9 (16.99m). It was her top U.S. senior national finish, after placing 16th last year.
On Saturday, Stanford had two competing. Trevor Danielson was 10th in the men's javelin at 222-8 (67.87m) and Sean McGorty, the recent NCAA outdoor 5,000 winner, was 11th in the men's 1,500 final in 3:44.42.
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U.S. Championships
At Drake Stadium, Des Moines
Winners and Stanford-affiliated competitors
Saturday's results
Men
1,500 – 1, Matthew Centrowitz (Nike Oregon Project) 3:43.37; 11, Sean McGorty (Stanford) 3:44.42.
Pole vault – 1, Sam Kendricks (Nike) 19-2 ¼ (5.85m); 9, Garrett Starkey '16 (unattached) 17-10 ½ (5.45m).
Javelin – 1, Curtis Thompson (unattached) 249-3 (75.99m); 10, Trevor Danielson (Stanford) 222-8 (67.87m).
Women
100 hurdles – 1, Keni Harrison (Adidas) 12.46; 6, Kori Carter '14 (Brand Jordan) 13.11.
Sunday's results
Men
5,000 – 1, Paul Chelimo (U.S. Army) 13:29.47; 6, Grant Fisher (Stanford) 13:32.00; 16, Jack Keelan (Stanford) 14:16.47.
Women
800 – 1, Ajee Wilson (Adidas) 1:58.18; 6, Olivia Baker (Stanford) 2:00.08, personal best, school record.
5.000 – 1, Shelby Houlihan (Nike/Bowerman TC) 15:31.03; 5, Vanessa Fraser (Stanford) 15:36.89.
Shot put – 1, Maggie Ewen (Nike) 63-3 ½ (19.29m); 13, Lena Giger (Stanford) 55-9 (16.99m).
