Stanford Invitational – March 29 – 30
Cobb Track and Angell Field – Palo Alto, CA
Stanford hosts an important early season meet in what is expected to be competed in rainy and windy conditions. The meet is a great test for professional and college athletes as they establish marks for the young outdoor season. High school athletes also compete on both days.
Friday
Most of the distance races for the open/college races will be Friday. In the women’s 1500-meter race, pros Raevyn Rogers will race against collegiate athletes Riley Chamberlain of BYU, Chloe Foerster of Washington and Juliette Whittaker of host school Stanford. Nathan Green of Washington leads a group of athletes in the men’s 1500. Simeon Birnbaum of Oregon opened his college career last week and is in the fast heat with Green. Roman McMahan-Staggs of Washington and Isaiah Givens of Washington will also race in the fast 1500-meter heat.
The women’s 3000-meter steeplechase features Lona Latema of Kansas who qualified for the NCAA Championship in the steeplechase last June. The men’s 3000-meter steeplechase has two qualifiers from last June’s NCAA 3000-meter steeplechase final in Victor Kibiego of Texam A&M and Abdelhakim Abouzourhir of Eastern Kentucky.
Sydney Thorvaldson of Arkansas, Jenna Hutchins of BYU, Greta Karinauskaite of Cal Baptist, Sophia Kennedy of Stanford race pros like Grace Barnett, Courtney Wayment and Ann Camp in the women’s 5000-meters. Pros Matthew Centrowitz and Craig Engels headline the men’s 5000-meter race. Kenneth Rooks made the US team last summer in the steeplechase and will race with Centrowitz and Engels. JaQuavious Harris of Salt Lake set the indoor 5000-meter junior college record earlier this season and is in heat 1 of the 5000-meter race.
College athletes hope to run the NCAA qualifying time early in the season. If the weather cooperates, Stanford is the place to get the time. Hilda Olemomoi of Alabama, Ava Nuttall of Miami (Ohio), Molly Born of Oklahoma State and Gracelyn Larkin of NAU will make for a deep women’s 10,000 field. Ky Robinson of Stanford won the NCAA outdoor 10,000 and is listed for Friday night’s 10,000-meter race. Other possible challengers include Victor Kiprop of Alabama, Peter Maru of Arkansas, Patrick Kiprop of Arkansas, and Kirami Yego of Arkansas.
The high school 3200-meter race will be competed on Friday afternoon. Eleanor Raker of Galena (NV) recently won the Dublin Distance Fiesta 1600-meter race. Olivia Williams of Acalanes, Amaya Amani of Bishop Manogue (NV) and Sophie Polay of JSerra will also be athletes to watch. Jason Parra of Millikan finished second at last year’s California State Meet 3200-meter race and is listed for Friday’s 3200-meters. Eli Ftichen-Young of Santa Cruz finished strong at NXN in December, Grant Morgenfeld from nearby Palo Alto won last week’s Azusa Meet of Champions 3200-meters.
The high school distance medley will be competed Friday afternoon. In the girl’s DMR, the top three teams from last year return with Palo Alto, Scotts Valley, and St. Francis of Sacramento. Palo Alto boys return as the top returner from last year’s DMR. Crystal Springs Uplands School and Jesuit are other strong teams.
Saturday
Raevyn Rogers has an Olympic Bronze in the 800-meter race and is listed in the fast heat of Saturday’s 800. Michaela Meyer of Nike will race with college athletes like Riley Chamberlain of BYU, Rose Pittman of UCLA, Wilma Nielson of Washington. Kash Powell of Long Beach State will have competition from Oregon athletes Matthew Erickson and Elliott Cook in the men's 800-meters.
Shea Volkmer of Campolindo, Amaya Armani of Bishop Manogue (NV), Georgia Jeanneret and Sophia Polay of JSerra lead a strong field of girl’s 1600-meter racers. Broen Holman of Sonora, Josh Chu of Ponderosa, Grant Morgenfeld of Palo Alto, Evan Noonan of Dana Hills, Jason Parra of Millikan and Aydon Stefanpoulas of Los Gatos will make for a competitive high school 1600-meter race.
Georgia Jeanneret of JSerra ran a person best time of 2:07.9 in the 800-meters last week at Azusa Meet of Champions and will race an excellent field that includes Ashlyn Boothby of Scotts Valley. Jacob Brown of Great Oak, Jeffrey Overgaard of Lincoln of Stockton, Gabriel Rodriguez of Great Oak, and Carter Oates of Homestead all have the potential to win the boy’s 800.
Look for a photo gallery of the Stanford Invitational after the meet!
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