DES MOINES, Iowa – Competing for the final time in a Stanford uniform, Harrison Williams broke the school decathlon record for the sixth time, while finishing third at the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships on Friday at Drake Stadium.
Williams scored 8,188 points, breaking his mark of 8,112 set April 18 at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, Calif. It was the ninth Stanford multis record for the 2019 NCAA indoor heptathlon champion and NCAA outdoor decathlon runner-up.
Going into the final event, the 1,500 meters, Williams needed to run 4:27 to reach 8,200 points and earn the IAAF World Championships standard to represent the U.S. team in Doha, Qatar, later this year. Taking the lead with two laps to go, Williams pushed the pace as hard as he could, but ultimately fell 12 points short, running 4:29.71. However, Williams still could earn passage to Worlds if he is among the top 24 in the world when the fields are determined in mid-September. He is No. 17 right now.
Williams did not set any personal bests in the meet, but was buoyed by a 10.68 in the 100 to open the competition on Thursday – 0.01 off his wind-legal best – and a 17-4 ¼ (5.30m) for his best pole vault decathlon clearance on Friday.
His second-day total of 4,009 points was the highest of his career.
The future looks bright for one of the country's top young talents, who should make a run next year at an Olympic berth and its standard of 8,350.
Also placing third was Jenna Gray, the only returning Stanford athlete competing in the meet, in the women's javelin. The two-sport star tied her personal best of 187-11 (57.29m) on Thursday. She is the No. 2 thrower in school history, behind teammate and two-time NCAA champion Mackenzie Little, who is competing for Australia internationally this summer.
Gray, who was about four meters off the World Championships standard, is a two-time first-team volleyball All-America and two-time NCAA top-four javelin placer. As a setter, She has helped Stanford to two NCAA championships. Gray will report to camp for her senior volleyball season Aug. 9.
Eleven Stanford alumni are scheduled to compete in the four-day meet. Olivia Baker and Rebecca Mehra advanced through two rounds of the 800 to reach Sunday's final and Elise Cranny advanced Saturday's 1,500 final.
Also ahead is the women's discus on Sunday, featuring defending champion Valarie Allman, who already has achieved the World Championship and Olympic standards.
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Live Results: Click here.
Schedule: Click here.
Broadcast Schedule (all times Pacific):
Saturday:
11 a.m.: NBC Sports Gold; 1-3 p.m.: NBC.
Sunday:
1 p.m.: NBC Sports Gold
4-5 p.m.: NBCSN
5-6 p.m.: NBC
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Friday's results:
Men
Decathlon – 1, Devon Williams (unattached) 8,295; 3, Harrison Williams (Stanford) 8,188 (PB, school record).
Harrison Williams (event, place in event, mark, points, place in competition):
First day: 100 – 3, 10.68, 933 (3); Long jump – 8, 23-6 (7.16m), 852 (5); Shot put – 8, 45-3 ½ (13.80m), 716 (6); High jump – 11, 6-4 ¼ (1.94m), 749 (6); 400 – 1, 47.60, 929 (4). First-day total: 4,179.
Second day: 100 hurdles – 4, 14.15, 955 (4); Discus – 5, 139-11 (42.64m), 718 (3); Pole vault – 1, 17-4 ½ (5.30m), 1,004 (3); Javelin – 12, 163-3 (49.77m), 585 (3); 1,500 – 1, 4:29.71, 747 (3). Second-day total: 4,009.
Women
800 semifinals – 5, Rebecca Mehra (Oiselle/LWA) 2:02.86; 7, Olivia Baker (Garden State TC New Balance) 2:03.15. Mehra and Mehra advanced to final.
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Thursday's results
Men
10,000 final – 1, Lopez Lomong (Nike/Bowerman TC) 27:30.06; Garrett Heath (Brooks Beasts) DNF.
Women
800 first round – 3, Olivia Baker (Garden State TC New Balance) 2:02.55; 6, Rebecca Mehra (Oiselle/LWA) 2:02.85. Baker and Mehra advanced to semifinals.
1,500 first round – 18, Elise Cranny (Nike/Bowerman TC) 4:19.99, advanced to final.
10,000 final – 1, Molly Huddle (Saucony) 31:58.47; 8, Jessica Tonn (unattached) 33:01.84.
Javelin final – 1, Arianna Ince (Velaasa) 200-4 (61.06m); 3, Jenna Gray (Stanford) 187-11 (57.29m), PB, No. 2 Stanford AT).
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Remaining Stanford schedule:
Saturday
11:33 a.m. PT (1:33 p.m. CT): Women's 200 first round (Heat 4: Kori Carter; top two in each heat, plus six advance).
12:20 p.m. PT (2:20 p.m. CT): Men's javelin final (Flight 2: Trevor Danielson).
1:42 p.m. PT (3:42 p.m. CT): Women's 1,500 final (Elise Cranny).
Sunday
1 p.m. PT (3 p.m. CT): Women's discus final (Flight 2: Valarie Allman).
3:14 p.m. (5:14 p.m. CT): Women's 200 semifinal (top four in each semi advance).
4:20 p.m. PT (6:20 p.m. CT): Women's shot put final (Flight 1: Lena Giger).
4:23 p.m. PT (6:23 p.m. CT): Men's 5,000 final (Garrett Heath).
4:42 p.m. PT (6:42 p.m. CT): Women's 5,000 final (Elise Cranny, Vanessa Fraser).
5:12 p.m. PT (7:12 p.m. CT): Women's 800 final (Olivia Baker, Rebecca Mehra).
5:43 p.m. PT (7:43 p.m. CT): Women's 200 final.
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Stanford entrants:
Men
5,000: Garrett Heath '08 (Brooks Beasts).
10,000: Garrett Heath '08 (Brooks Beasts).
Javelin: Trevor Danielson '18 (Texas).
Decathlon: Harrison Williams '18 (Stanford).
Women
200: Kori Carter '14 (Brand Jordan).
800: Olivia Baker '18 (Garden State New Balance), Rebecca Mehra '16 (Oiselle/LWA).
1,500: Elise Cranny '18 (Nike/Bowerman TC).
5,000: Elise Cranny '18 (Nike/Bowerman TC), Vanessa Fraser '17 (Nike/Bowerman TC).
10,000: Jessica Tonn '14 (unattached).
Shot put: Lena Giger '18 (unattached).
Discus: Valarie Allman '17 (Oiselle/NYAC), Summer Pierson '00 (unattached).
Javelin: Jenna Gray '20 (Stanford).
