University of Oregon
Oregon Twilight
Ducks Break Collegiate, Hayward Field Records in the Four-Mile Relay
05/10/09 | Track and Field
EUGENE, Ore. -- Oregon broke the collegiate and Hayward Field records in the four-mile relay, running 16:03.24 Saturday night before a cheering crowd of 5,726.
With fans lining the historic oval at the corner of 15th and Agate, the Ducks broke Michigan's 2005 collegiate record of 16:04.54 and the 1968 Hayward Field record of 16:05.0, set by Oregon Track Club, one of whom's runners, Wade Bell, was in attendance Saturday night.
"The best thing about this race was the excitement it brought to the community," said Associate Athletic Director Vin Lananna. "It will be one of the big and long-time lasting memories.
"This could only happen in Track Town, USA."
Oregon opened the record attempt with redshirt freshman Matthew Centrowitz, who ran 3:59.53. Then 2008 Olympian Andrew Wheating took the baton for a 3:59.60 second leg. Senior Shadrack Biwott clocked a 4:05.21 third leg before handing off to four-time NCAA champion Galen Rupp, who brought the record home with a 3:58.93 final leg.
"This was awesome," said the senior from Portland, Ore., who received a standing ovation during the senior introductions earlier in the night. "It's one of the craziest environments I've ever been a part of. I was hurting on that last part because I went out too hard, but the crowd on the track was a great idea, and I think that's what pushed us over."
Wheating was also jazzed by the crowd on the track.
"I was so excited that I went out with a 57, and that wasn't what I was supposed to be doing," said the junior from Norwich, Vt. "With everyone on the track it's hard to tell how fast you're going."
Biwott, from Eldoret, Kenya, was reflective on the record and his career at Hayward Field.
“It was something really special and to be proud of," said Biwott. "We knew it wasn't going to be easy ? it was a top race and a top result. It is an honor to be a part of this special moment. My teammates did a fantastic job. It was a big accomplishment for me as a senior especially. People cheering on the track helped us so much. We needed that support.”
Centrowitz, whose father ran at Oregon in front of crowds like the one that shook the venerable stadium, was honored to be the youngest member of the relay team.
"I've been running for six or seven years, and I've never been a part of something like this," said the nation's leader in the 1,500 meters. "I couldn't hear myself breathe with all the fans on the track. All our first legs were a little fast because of the adrenaline."
While the mile relay was the penultimate act of the last regular season home meet, there were other standout performances, in particular Jesse Williams' meet record high jump of 7-8 that leads the nation and ranks second in the world this year. His clearance was the second-best in stadium history and just a half-inch off Charles Clinger's 2002 record of 7-8.5.
"This was a good day and definitely my best outdoor result," said Williams. "I feel very happy. I don't think I PR'd twice in the same meet since I was a kid.
"I am excited, because this is my year."
The Twilight also saw meet records in the men's 400 meters, the women's 100 meters, the women's 4x100 meter relay and the men's 4x400 meter relay.
Former Duck All-American Matt Scherer and current junior Chad Barlow waged an entertaining race in the men's 400 meters. Scherer won in a meet-record 46.59, while Barlow was second in 47.83.
"It was a surprise, because I didn't even know what it was previously," said Scherer. "It's always nice to put your name somewhere."
Oregon Track Club Elite runners Kevin Hicks, Brandon Shaw, Scherer and Mark Wieczorek won the men's 4x400 relay in a meet-record 3:12.13.
Jernise Saunders of Portland State ran a meet record 11.75 in winning the women's 100 meters, while Spokane Community College scored the meet record in the 4x100 meter relay in a time of 47.54.
For Oregon, Jamesha Youngblood won the women's long jump with an outdoor PR of 20-10. That mark ranks as the third-best in school history.
British Olympian Jemma Simpson won the women's 1,500 meters in 4:12.88, while Oregon's Zoe Buckman ran a personal-best 4:15.66 to finish second. That moved the junior from Canberra, Australia, to No. 7 on the Ducks' career top-10 list. Junior Nicole Blood was third in that race in a season-best 4:17.55.
Jordan Roskelley of Oregon cleared 13 feet in the pole vault for the first time in her career. Her bar of 13-0.25 moved the sophomore from Spokane, Wash., No. 6 all-time on the UO list.
Redshirt freshman Eric Hersey won the men's 110 meter hurdles in a personal best 14.28, which was also an NCAA qualifying time.
Other Duck highlights:
* Alexandra Kosinski ripped off a season-best 2:08.06 in finishing second on the women's 800 meters.
* Zoe Nelson got an NCAA Regional qualifier in the women's 5,000 meters, finishing fourth in 16:47.01, an outdoor PR for the senior from Kalispell, Mont.
* Junior Jasmine Kelly won the high jump and notched an NCAA qualifying mark with a collegiate-best clearance of 5-8.75.
*Freshman Lyndsay Pearson won the women's 100 meter hurdles in a personal best 14.34, while junior Rita Santibanez won the women's shot put with a throw of 44-1.5
*Junior Jordan McNamara garnered an NCAA Regional time with his fourth-place finish in the men's 1,500 meter in 3:45.66. It was the first full race of the season for the junior from Auburn, Wash.
*Sophomore Jordan Stray won the men's hammer with a throw of 200-5, while senior Steven Johnson was third with a season-best toss of 197-4.
*Sophomore Brooke Giuffre earned a trip to the NCAA Regional meet with a time of 10:46.64 in the women's 3,000 meter steeplechase.
*Senior Lucy Cridland placed second in the women's discus with a personal-best throw of 165-11.
*Former Duck Carlos Trujillo won the men's 5,000 meters. The 2008 Pac-10 champion at 10,000 meters ran 13:52.74 Saturday night.
*The crowd of 5,726 was the second-largest for a Twilight Meet in school history.
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