STANFORD, Calif. – Kaitlyn Merritt soared to victory in the women's pole vault and Jaimi Salone earned a dramatic victory in the women's shot put to highlight Stanford's performances Saturday on the final day of the two-day Cardinal Classic track and field meet at Cobb Track and Angell Field.
Merritt, the 2018 Pac-12 runner-up and an NCAA outdoor qualifier, jumped a season outdoor best 13-9 ¼ (4.20 meters).
Using a tailwind to her advantage, Merritt cleared 13-1 (3.99m) on her first try to win the meet and then had a first-try clearance at 13-5 (4.09m). After clearing 13-9 ¾ on her second try, Merritt took three attempts at lifetime best 14-1 ¼ (4.30m), but was unsuccessful.
Teammate Nicole Summersett cleared a season-best 12-9 (3.89m) to place fourth.
The women's shot put came down to the final throw. Stanford's Jaimi Salone entered the competition with a lifetime best of 47-3 ¾ (14.42m), and led through five rounds at 44-11 ¾ (13.71m). But, on the second-to-last throw of the competition, Colorado's Mariah Walker bolted into the lead with a 49-0 ¼ (14.94m).
Salone responded with a put that landed at 49-0 ¾ (14.95m) – a victory by 1 centimeter. It was Salone's best-ever by 1'9" and an improvement in that competition by 4'0 ¾" (1.24m). It puts Salone at No. 10 on Stanford's all-time outdoor performers' list, edging out Debbie Malueg, who had a put of 49-0 ¼ (14.94m) in 1991.
Other Stanford winners Saturday were freshman Sal Spina in the men's shot put (47-11 ¾, 14.62m) and Ashlan Best in the women's 100 (11.73).
Also, Connor Lane ran a personal best 3:49.19 in the second section of the men's 1,500. Stanford now has 12 runners who have broken 3:50 in that event.
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Cardinal Classic
At Cobb Track and Angell Field
Saturday's results
Winners and Stanford
Men
100 – 1, Keane Collins (unattached) 10.89.
400 – 1, Roshon Roomes (Iowa State) 47.82.
1,500 – Invite: 1, Reed Brown (Oregon) 3:44.11. Sec. 2: 9, Connor Lane (Stanford) 3:49.19 (PB). Sec. 3: 4, Liam Conway (unattached) 3:52.28 (PB); 8, Hari Sathyamurthy (Stanford) 3:56.04; Sec. 4: 3, Steven Grolle (PDC) 3:57.50.
3,000 steeplechase – 1, Andrew Gardner (Gonzaga) 8:46.16 (meet record).
10,000 – James Mwaura (Gonzaga) 29:15.75 (meet record); 8, Jack Keelan (Second City TC) 30:53.10.
4x400 relay – 1, San Jose State 3:30.04.
High jump – 1, Jeremy Cody (Colorado) 6-7 ½ (2.02m); 2, Trevor Rex (Stanford) 6-3 ½ (1.92m).
Triple jump – 1, Gunner Rigsby (Colorado) 45-2 ¼w (13.77mw).
Shot put – 1, Sal Spina (Stanford) 47-11 ¾ (14.62m).
Women
100 – 1, Ashlan Best (Stanford) 11.73.
400 – 1, Chloe Foster (Michigan) 54.47; 2, Carolyn Wilson (Stanford) 54.90; 4, Missy Mongiovi (Stanford) 55.98.
1,500 – Invite: 1, Sinclaire Johnson (Oklahoma State) 4:13.35. Sec. 2: 2, Ella Donaghu (Stanford) 4:22.62; 6, Julia Heymach (Stanford) 4:23.99. Sec. 3: 2, Maddy Berkson (PDC) 4:24.46.
3,000 steeplechase – 1, Gabrielle Jennings (Furman) 9:57.41.
100 hurdles – 1, Erica Wilson (unattached) 13.75w; 3, Hannah Labrie-Smith (Stanford) 14.35w.
4x400 relay – 1, Stanford (Sarah Walker, Ashlan Best, Missy Mongiovi, Carolyn Wilson) 3:40.26.
Pole vault – 1, Kaitlyn Merritt (Stanford) 13-9 ¼ (4.20m); 4, Nicole Summersett (Stanford) 12-9 (3.89m); 5, Jackie McNulty (Stanford) 12-5 ¼ (3.79m); 6, Erika Malaspina (Stanford) 12-5 ¼ (3.79m).
Triple jump – 1, Gabrielle Fraser (Nevada) 38-8 ¾ (11.80m).
Shot put – 1, Jaimi Salone (Stanford) 49-0 ¾ (14.95m) (PB, No. 10 Stanford AT).
Discus – 1, Jere Summers (unattached) 165-5 (50.43m); 2, Jaimi Salone (Stanford) 163-1 (49/72m).
