Two Wins, Three Top-10 UO Marks on Friday

Friday, April 7

La Jolla, CA

University of Oregon

Triton Invitational

04/07/23 | Track and Field

Jorinde Van Klinken is the new school-record holder in the discus.

EUGENE, Ore. – The Oregon track and field teams picked up two wins Friday along with three top-10 UO performances including a school record by Jorinde Van Klinken in the discus. The Ducks' wins came from Colleen Uzoekwe and Nathan Poff in the heptathlon and decathlon, respectively, at the Brutus Hamilton Multis in Berkeley, Calif.

Making her season debut at the Triton Invitational, Van Klinken ascended to the top of the program top-10 list with a day's best of 67.05m/219-11 on her final attempt of the afternoon. The massive heave also doubles as the No. 3 performance in NCAA history. The two-time NCAA champion and collegiate-record holder in the event put together a series that included three measures over 65 meters.

Overall, Van Klinken finished second in the competition to Olympic champion Valarie Allman and ahead of 2019 world champion Yaime Perez Tellez of Spain. With Friday's outing, Van Klinken posted the NCAA lead and No. 2 throw in the world.

Medford, Ore., native Jaida Ross made some history for herself Friday with a lifetime-best effort in the discus. She added more than five feet to her previous best with a toss of 57.63m/189-1 out of the first flight. Three of Ross' throws Friday were beyond her old PB of 55.97m/183-7 from last season. Ross sits third in UO history in the event.

The Ducks' third top-10 program effort came from Uzoekwe with her winning total of 5,349 points at the Brutus Hamilton meet. After the day's top measure in the long jump, the Portland native followed with a lifetime best in the javelin and 800 meters. Uzoekwe ends the weekend with outdoor bests in five of the seven events: 200, 800, 100 hurdles, high jump and javelin.

Uzoekwe now ranks as the No. 10 performer in program history in the heptathlon. She led a 1-2 Oregon finish with teammate Gianna Bullock who totaled a lifetime-best score of 5,098 points. Bullock recorded a season best in the long jump to get started Friday and bookended the day with a new PB of 2:29.39 in the 800 meters. She also had personal bests in the 100 hurdles and shot put on Thursday.

The UO men registered a 1-2 finish, as well, with Poff and Arthur Katahdin in their first decathlon of the season. Poff finished the two-day, 10-event competition with 6,738 points with Katahdin in second with 6,548 points. Competing in just the second decathlon of his UO career, the Milwaukie, Ore., native had a season best in the pole vault and personal best in the javelin on Friday.

In the first result of the day, Shelby Moran was the runner-up in the hammer at the Triton Invitational. She had a day's best of 64.38m/211-2, just two inches off her season best from the Oregon Preview.

FRIDAY RESULTS
Triton Invitational (La Jolla, Calif.)
WOMEN
Discus
2. Jorinde Van Klinken – 67.05m/219-11 [No. 1 UO]
9. Jaida Ross – 57.63m/189-1 (PB) [No. 3 UO]
16. Shelby Moran – 48.89m/159-1
18. Mine De Klerk – 47.46m/155-8

Hammer
2. Shelby Moran – 64.38m/211-2

Brutus Hamilton Multis (Berkeley, Calif.)
MEN
Decathlon – Day 2/Total
1. Nathan Poff – 6,738 points
                8. 110m Hurdles – 16.57 [670 points]
                4. Discus – 32.76m/107-5 [519]
                3. Pole Vault – 4.02m/13-2.25 [623]
                2. Javelin – 49.19m/161-4 [577]
                2. 1500 Meters – 4:40.53 [677]
2. Arthur Katahdin – 6,548 points
                7. 110m Hurdles – 16.55 [672 points]
                3. Discus – 33.54m/110-0 [535]
                1. Pole Vault – 4.72m/15-5.75 (SB) [825]
                6. Javelin – 43.31m/142-1 (PB) [490]
                6. 1500 Meters – 5:05.20 [530]

WOMEN
Heptathlon – Day 2/Total
1. Colleen Uzoekwe – 5,349 points (PB) [No. 10 UO]
                1. Long Jump – 5.80m/19-0.5 [789 points]
                1. Javelin – 32.36m/106-2 (PB) [521]
                10. 800 Meters – 2:46.72 (PB) [498]
2. Gianna Bullock – 5,098 points (PB)
                5. Long Jump – 5.46m/17-11 (SB) [688 points]
2. Javelin – 30.63m/100-6 [489]
1. 800 Meters – 2:29.39 (PB) [701]

Up Next: Ross and Mine De Klerk are back in action Saturday for the invitational section of the shot put while Mason Strunk will compete in the top flight of the men's hammer. Additionally, the UO pole vault crew is scheduled to compete at the Jenn Boyman Memorial in McMinnville, Ore.

For more news and information about Oregon cross country and track and field, follow @OregonTF on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.