Allen, Cheserek Bring Home Titles As Ducks Finish Fourth

by Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com
Photo: Eric Evans

EUGENE, Ore. — Edward Cheserek cemented his status as the King. Devon Allen was the Comeback Kid.

Both won individual titles Friday for Oregon in the NCAA Outdoor championship meet at Hayward Field. The Ducks weren't able to win a third straight team title, but they could celebrate the two individual titles Cheserek and Allen brought home.

Cheserek followed his win Wednesday in the 10,000 meters by doubling Friday in the 5,000. Allen won the 110 hurdles Friday, two years after winning the same race as a true freshman in 2014 and some 17 months after suffering a knee injury that sidelined him last spring.

“When you sit out a year, you want to get back to where you were before,” said Allen, who won Friday in 13.50 seconds. “To get back to that level is a good feeling.”

Cheserek said after Wednesday's 10k that he was only about 90 percent healthy, and he awoke Friday feeling fatigued, he added. That didn't stop him from surging into the lead of the 5,000 meters with 250 to go Friday evening, then powering through the Bowerman Curve to hold off the other contenders and win in 13 minutes, 25.59 seconds.

Cheserek's victory was his 15th in NCAA competition. That ties the record for a cross country and track and field participant, first set in 1982 by Suleiman Nyambui of Texas-El Paso.

“It means a lot,” Cheserek said. “But I've got one more year to go, to keep getting more and more.”

The efforts of Allen and Cheserek helped the Ducks accumulate 48 team points, good for fourth in the team race. Florida, fourth entering the day with 10 points, piled up 52 on the second day to finish with 62 and win the team title. Arkansas was second at 56, fueled by victories from Jarrion Lawson in the 100, 200 and long jump.

“Probably not quite what we were looking for, but definitely a valiant effort by our kids,” said UO coach Robert Johnson, who coached his team to its fourth straight podium finish. “… We just had to be perfect. (Florida) did what we usually do here at this meet, and had a phenomenal last day.”

Cheserek settled into second early in his 5,000, and stayed there most of the race. That was despite a relatively quick pace that Cheserek said he was coached to expect by Johnson and UO associate head coach Andy Powell.

Cheserek went to the lead himself with about 1,000 to go, settling the pace to set the stage for his kick. He unleashed it with 250 to go, then watched himself on the Hayward Field big screen to make sure nobody else could answer.

“When you look at the body of work and what he did indoors (winning three titles this winter), it's definitely special,” Johnson said.

Allen caught the last few hurdles on his ride to the 110 hurdles title. He powered through the last one before surging through the finish line.

“Not super clean, but it doesn't matter,” Allen said. “Today was just about first, second, third, fourth — that's what we were going for, and I'm glad I got first.”

Allen said he'll now turn his attention to preparing for the U.S. Olympic Trials in early July at Hayward Field. He hopes to qualify to run in Rio in August, after which he would try to rejoin the UO football team about 10 days before its 2016 season opener.

The other Ducks in action Friday couldn't quite maximize their opportunities the way Allen and Cheserek did. In the 1,500, Sam Prakel ran third for much of the race before fading to fifth in 3:40.84, and Blake Haney was 11th. In the 400, Marcus Chambers took fourth in 45.27.

Chambers expected to be behind the leaders entering the Bowerman Curve, and that's how the race unfolded. But the gap that developed proved too much for him to make up with his kick.

“I just didn't have it at the end,” Chambers said. “So I know I've got some work to do before the Trials. We'll get back to the drawing board on Monday, get to it and I'll be ready for that.”

Prakel experienced a somewhat similar trip. He intended to stick just off the shoulders of the leaders, preferably in third, then see if he had enough left to win. Indeed, Prakel was third with two laps to go, but he faded on the final lap.

“I knew it was going to be fast, and I wanted to put myself in position to hang on,” Prakel said. “I had a lot of faith in my fitness, and faith in my coaches, and we decided to go for it and see how long I could stick with those guys. …

“I'm happy with putting it all out there and seeing what I could do. I got points for the team. Decent day.”

For the Ducks, it was a decent day all around, when greatness was required to bring home an NCAA title.