EUGENE, Ore. – Elliott Cook capped his standout postseason run with a national runner-up finish in the 1500 meters Friday evening at Hayward Field. In the heptathlon, Annika Williams and Taylor Chocek are positioned inside the top 10 after day one of the seven-event competition.
The Women of Oregon enter the final day of the NCAA Championships with 15 points, and will have 11 total scoring opportunities Saturday. The heptathlon resumes at 10:30 a.m. (PT) with the long jump and field finals get started at 2 p.m. The 4×100-meter relay will kick off the ESPN broadcast at 2:32 p.m.
Cook ran a time of 3:39.57 to secure his highest-career finish at an NCAA meet, besting his seventh place from the 2023 NCAA Indoor Championships in the mile.
At the bell, Cook found himself toward the back of the pack but maneuvered his way back into the lead group before the final back stretch. He went on to run the fastest final lap—52.50—but a late charge by Washington’s Joe Waskom (3:39.48) beat Cook and the lead group to the finish line.
Coupled with Thursday’s sixth-place finish by Rafael Raap in the decathlon, the UO men finished tied for 27th in the team race with 11 points.
In her first NCAA heptathlon appearance, Williams sits in fourth place with 3,690 points after four events with Chocek in 10th overall with 3,508 points. Along with the long jump, day two features the javelin and 800 meters.
Williams recorded lifetime bests in the 100-meter hurdles (13.75) and shot put (14.51m/47-7.25) to go along with season-best efforts in the high jump and 200 meters. With her 1.78m/5-10 clearance in the high jump, she moved into a tie as the No. 10 performer in program history.
Chocek, making her second-consecutive appearance in the NCAA heptathlon, got her day started with a 13.66 in the 100-meter hurdles. Sitting in 18th place after the high jump, the Eugene native began a push up the standings with a lifetime-best toss of 13.28m/43-7 in the shot put and a solid 24.54 outing in the 200 meters.
The Schedule | Day Four
10:30 a.m. – heptathlon long jump | Chocek, Williams
11:45 a.m. – heptathlon javelin | Chocek, Williams
2:00 p.m. – high jump | Scott
2:05 p.m. – discus | Ross
2:32 p.m. – 4×100 relay
2:41 p.m. – 1500 meters | Kazimierska
3:22 p.m. – 100 meters | Mays
3:57 p.m. – 400 hurdles | Grebo
4:07 p.m. – 200 meters | Mays
4:13 p.m. – heptathlon 800 meters | Chocek, Williams
4:25 p.m. – 5,000 meters | Ayyildiz
4:51 p.m. – 4×400 relay
Friday Results
NCAA Championships (Eugene, Ore.)
MEN
1500 Meters
2. Elliott Cook – 3:39.57 [8 points]
WOMEN
Heptathlon – Day 1
4. Annika Williams – 3,690 points
8. 100m Hurdles – 13.75 (PB, =No. 10 UO) [1,014 points]
6. High Jump – 1.78m/5-10 (SB) [953]
3. Shot Put – 14.51m/47-7.25 (PB) [828]
13. 200 Meters – 24.91 (SB) [895]
10. Taylor Chocek – 3,508 points
6. 100m Hurdles – 13.66 [1,027 points]
18. High Jump – 1.66m/5-5.25 [806]
9. Shot Put – 13.28m/43-7 (PB) [746]
8. 200 Meters – 24.54 [929]
For more news and information about Oregon cross country and track and field, follow @OregonTF on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
