The Ducks’ distance crew took center stage Thursday at the Payton Jordan Invitational and responded with seven lifetime bests and a win from Jessica Hull in her signature event. Among the collection of personal bests, Reed Brown moved to within a second of the UO top-10 list at 1,500 meters and Carmela Cardama Baez became the No. 9 Duck performer at 5,000 meters.
In her first 1,500-meter race since winning the NCAA title last June in Eugene, Hull out-leaned six-time NCAA champion and current pro Karissa Schweizer for the top spot in section one. She stopped the clock in 4:12.08 for the win and the No. 1 time in the NCAA this year.
Brown was the first collegian across the line in the top section of the 1,500 meters. In his 3:38.76 effort, he replaced his previous PR of 3:39.56 from the 2018 Bryan Clay Invitational. The outing also puts him among the top 10 on the NCAA performance list. Teammate James West (3:42.01) also improved his national status.
Already a top-10 national performer at 10,000 meters, Cardama Baez ran to a runner-up finish, and top collegiate result, in 15.38.77 to establish a new lifetime best in the 5,000 meters. She entered the race with an overall best of 15:55.00 from indoors and an outdoor PR of 16:12.15 from last year’s Bryan Clay meet.
In the Ducks’ first race of the night, Susan Ejore dropped her lifetime best from 2:03.09 to 2:02.66 in an overall runner-up finish in the top flight of the 800 meters. She was the top collegiate performer in the field and remains third on the NCAA season performance list. Her time of 2:02.66 is just outside of the program’s top 10, needing a 2:02.50 to crack that list.
Charlie Hunter and Cooper Teare finished third and fourth, respectively, in section two of the 1,500 meters. Hunter crossed in a season-best 3:43.08 and Teare was right behind in 3:43.13, a personal best for the sophomore. They were the top collegiate performers in the field. Thursday was Teare’s first race since his 13:32.73 at 5,000 meters two weeks ago at the Cardinal Classic.
Running in her second-ever steeplechase, junior Amanda Gehrich crossed the finish in 10:10.99 to knock more than four seconds off her previous best. Based on times entering the meet and other marks from the race, she moves into the national top 30 in the steeplechase.
Freshman Taylor Chiotti posted her third 1,500-meter PR in as many races, all three at Stanford meets. She had a time of 4:20.29 to finish third in section four of the event. Junior Jackson Mestler shaved just over a second off his personal best at 5,000 meters, posting a time of 14:02.53 in section two of the event.
Payton Jordan Invitational
Cobb Track and Angell Field
Palo Alto, Calif.
MEN
1,500 Meters
Section 1
3. Reed Brown – 3:38.76 (PR)
10. James West – 3:42.41
Section 2
3. Charlie Hunter – 3:43.08 (SB)
4. Cooper Teare – 3:43.13 (PR)
Section 3
10. Austin Tamagno – 3:49.85
5,000 Meters
Section 2
20. Jackson Mestler – 14:02.53 (PR)
WOMEN
800 Meters
Section 1
2. Susan Ejore – 2:02.66 (PR)
1,500 Meters
Section 1
1. Jessica Hull – 4:12.08
Section 4
3. Taylor Chiotti – 4:20.29 (PR)
5,000 Meters
Section 2
2. Carmela Cardama Baez – 15.38.77 (PR; No. 9 UO)
3,000m Steeplechase
Section 1
14. Amanda Gehrich – 10:10.99 (PR)
