Hunter Strong in DebutHunter Strong in Debut
Bob Drebin / isiphotos.com
Track & Field

Hunter Strong in Debut

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo.Allan Hunter, a Stanford freshman making his collegiate debut, nearly pulled off a victory at the Championships at the Peak indoor meet on Friday. 

Hunter long-jumped 24-3 (7.39 meter) on his sixth and final attempt to seize the lead. However, Wyoming's William Nolan leaped 24-3 ½ (7.40m) on the last jump of the competition to win. 

Hunter is now No. 5 on Stanford's all-time absolute freshmen list, knocking out Dan Moore (24-2 ½, 7.38m in 1959), who has been on the top-5 list for 62 years. On Stanford's all-time indoor list, Hunter enters at No. 8.

Stanford brought 20 athletes to its first track and field meet since Feb. 29, 2020. Besides Hunter, other highlights came from Allie Jones and Ashlan Best, who advanced to the finals Saturday in the 200 and 400 meters, respectively. 

Hunter, a graduate of John C. Kimball High in Tracy, took second at the 2019 California state meet with an all-conditions personal best of 23-9 ¼w (7.24). He nearly reached that in the first flight, jumping 23-7 ¼ (7.19m), which had him third overall going into his final attempt. 

Jones set a personal best in the 200 by 0.01, running 25.29 in the prelims on the 268.22-meter track at Cadet Field House. The time bettered a 25.30 run outdoors in 2019. Jones was the sixth-qualifier for the eight-woman final. 

Best, Stanford's indoor record holder in the 400, ran 55.43 in the prelims to qualify eighth. 
 * * * 
Championships at the Peak
At Cadet Field House 
(track size, 268.22 meters)

Friday
Men 

60 – 23, Jerry Zheng (Stanford) 7.19; 24, Kevin Yang (Stanford) 7.40.
400 – 13, Miles Zoltak (Stanford) 49.24; 21, Gabriel Navarro (Stanford) 50.65; 22, Andrew Franco (Stanford) 50.67; 27, Bobby Wood (Stanford) 54.96.
60 hurdles – 10, Jack Herkert (Stanford) 8.29.
Long jump – 2, Allan Hunter (Stanford) 24-3 (7.39m); 9, Jack Herkert (Stanford) 22-7 ¾ (6.90m); 14, Keyshawn King (Stanford) 21-11 ½ (6.69m); Marcus Floyd (Stanford) foul.
High jump – 9, James Stevens (Stanford) 6-4 ¾ (1.95m).

Women 
200
– 6, Allie Jones (Stanford) 25.29q; 12, Carolyn Wilson (Stanford) 25.83; Alexa Rossum (Stanford) DNF. 
400 – 8, Ashlan Best (Stanford) 55.43q; 9, Carolyn Wilson (Stanford) 56.34; 20, Samantha Thomas (Stanford) 58.18; 24, Caitlin Collier (Stanford) 58.90.
Long jump – 15, Allie Jones (Stanford) 17-8 (5.38m); 18, Allyson Weiss (Stanford) 17-4 (5.28m); 24, Aria Small (Stanford) 16-10 ¾ (5.15m).
Pole vault –Erika Malaspina (Stanford) NH.

q = qualified for Saturday's final

Saturday's Stanford schedule
1 p.m. PT – Women's 400 final (Ashlan Best). 
2:05 p.m. PT – Women's 200 final (Allie Jones).