University of Oregon
Willie Williams Classic
Oregon Throwers Out in Force
03/19/16 | Track and Field
TUCSON, Ariz. – The Oregon throwers led the way during the first day of the Willie Williams Classic to start the 2016 outdoor track and field season.
Cody Danielson made his Oregon debut in the javelin and immediately inked his name among the school's greats. The redshirt junior transfer from UCLA threw a best of 251-9 (76.74m) which won the event and is fourth in school history.
Greg Skipper started the day by winning the men's hammer throw after being named an All-American in the weight throw last weekend. The redshirt senior threw 223-5 (68.10m) in the opener.
Annie Whitfield took second in the javelin with a throw of 141-8 (43.18m) while Brittany Mann took second in the hammer at 186-11 (56.97). Madeline Middlebrooks finished right behind Mann in the hammer, setting a personal best in her opener of 175-6 (53.49m).
Devon Allen segued nicely into the outdoor season after winning his second NCAA Championships last weekend in Birmingham. Allen competed in the open 200, crossing the finish line in 20.79 which ties Oregon legend Harry Jerome for sixth on the school's all-time list.
Annie Leblanc earned the fourth win of the day. Leblanc cruised to a seven-second win in the 1,500 with a time of 4:27.55.
Bradley Laubacher took third in the high jump, clearing 6-10.75 (2.10m).
--------------------
At the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland, former Duck Brianne Theisen-Eaton won a gold medal in the pentathlon after a dramatic comeback. Theisen-Eaton was third heading into the final event – the 800. Knowing that she needed to run 10.7 seconds faster than Ukraine's leader Anastasiya Mokhnyuk, the Canadian did exactly that with an indoor personal best of 2:09.99, roughly 13 seconds faster than Mokhynuk to win her first world title.
Ashton Eaton is currently first in the heptathlon with 3,564 points after the first day. He leads second-place Kurt Felix by 63 points.
Matthew Centrowitz won his heat of the men's 1,500 in 3:47.15 to advance to the final.
Competition at both venues will resume tomorrow, with the Willie Williams Classic starting at 10 a.m. PT and the IAAF World Indoor Championships at 11 a.m.
