KORTRIJK, Belgium – Stanford's NCAA champion Sean McGorty shattered his personal best in the 1,500 meters by nearly four seconds on the way to his first professional victory, at Guldensporenmeeting Kortrijk on Saturday.
A day later, Stanford teammate Valarie Allman took third in the discus at the Athletics World Cup in London while helping the United States to the team championship at London Stadium.
They weren't the only 2018 Stanford Cardinal to excel in some of their first European competitions. Vanessa Fraser, now with Bowerman Track Club, raced to a personal best in the 1,500 to place second at Kortrijk.
First, McGorty. Five weeks after running to the NCAA 5,000 championship in the swansong for old Hayward Field in Eugene and three weeks after reaching his first U.S. Championships 1,500 final, McGorty was dominant in his Euro debut.
McGorty clocked 3:36.61 to win the meet's main event handily over runner-up Sammy Kirongo of Kenya (3:38.48). Given that this race was an extension to his college season, McGorty jumps to No. 4 on Stanford's all-time list. His previous best of 3:40.57 came at the Stanford Invitational on March 30 and was not in the top 10.
However, a better comparison is to McGorty's stunning indoor 3:53.95 mile on an oversized track at University of Washington in 2016 – the absolute Stanford mile record. Using MileSplit's Conversion Calculator, McGorty's mile is equivalent to a 3:36.68 for 1,500. Therefore, McGorty's time Saturday is superior to his great indoor mark.
Interestingly, the three faster times on the Stanford list all were run in Europe: by Michael Stember (3:35.11; 1,500; Aug. 18, 2000; Monte Carlo), Gabe Jennings (3:35.21; 1,500; Sept. 3, 2000; Rieti, Italy), and Grant Robison (3:35.75; 1,500; Aug. 2, 2003; Heusden, Belgium).
McGorty and Stanford teammate Jack Keelan, who ran 3:47.35 in a different heat at the same meet, will join Fraser at the Night of Athletics in Heusden on Saturday.
Fraser took on Missouri's Karissa Schweizer in a matchup of the two collegiate females with the greatest range this year, with elite times from 1,500 to 10,000. Schweizer earned a commanding victory, running 4:06.77, but Fraser's 4:09.74 for second was a personal best and moved her up two spots to No. 3 all-time at Stanford, passing Malindi Elmore and Lauren Centrowitz.
Vanessa Fraser.
The top three in school history – Elise Cranny, Christina Aragon, and Fraser – ran for Stanford this season and each placed fourth or higher at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Fraser's previous best, in winning the Cardinal Classic in April, was 4:10.63.
Allman, the newly-crowned U.S. champion, threw 200-5 (61.10m) in the first round to take the lead, but first Germany's Claudia Vita at 206-5 (62.92m) and then Su Xinyui of China at 205-5 (62.62m) surpassed Allman in the second and third rounds, respectively.
Allman was pleased with her performance and competes in her first Diamond League meet this weekend, also in London.
"This showed me that some things we're working on are coming through in my performance," said Allman, who added, "The crowd did a great job in bringing out the best in all the athletes."
The weekend also marked the conclusion of the IAAF World Under-20 Championships in Tampere, Finland, with two Stanford athletes -- Ashlan Best and incoming freshman Caitlin Collier -- competing.
Valarie Allman.
* * *
Athletics World Cup
In London, England
Winner and Stanford competitor
Sunday
Women
Team leaders – 1, United States 219; 2, Poland 162; 3, Great Britain 155.
Discus – 1, Claudine Vita (Germany) 206-5 (62.92m); 3, Valarie Allman (U.S.) 200-5 (61.10m).
Guldensporenmeeting Kortrijk
In Kortrijk, Belgium
Winners and Stanford competitors
Saturday
Men
1,500 – 1, Sean McGorty 3:36.61, personal best, No. 4 Stanford all-time. After program, Heat 1: 4, Jack Keelan 3:47.35.
Women
1,500 – 1, Karissa Schweizer 4:06.77; 2, Vanessa Fraser 4:09.74, personal best, No. 3 Stanford all-time.