EUGENE, Ore. – The Oregon track and field team won six events and recorded four top-10 program marks Saturday at the Don Kirby Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M., and the Eagle Elite Invitational in Boston. The Ducks’ winners circle includes Jadyn Mays (60 meters), Ella Clayton (400), Silan Ayyildiz (3,000), Aaliyah McCormick (60 hurdles), and the women’s 4×400 and men’s distance medley relays.
In a 1-2 finish over 3,000 meters, Ayyildiz and Dalia Frias recorded the No. 3 and 8 performances in program history, respectively. Ayyildiz stopped the clock in 8:56.60 less than 24 hours after Friday’s 4:30.38 effort in the mile. Frias established a new lifetime best of 9:04.20, knocking more than 16 seconds off her previous best (9:20.28) from last year.
The UO men got the day started with a DMR win at the Eagle Elite Invitational in Boston. The team of Matthew Erickson, Kojo Manu, James Harding and Tomas Palfrey combined for a time of 9:35.90, six seconds clear of runner-up Texas. Erickson, Harding and Palfrey were back on the track from Friday’s sections of the 800 meters.
McCormick posted the Ducks’ first Don Kirby victory Saturday with her season-best 8.07 over the 60-meter hurdles. She was the fastest qualifier out of the prelims in 8.16, a then-season best before the final. Based on reported times entering the day, McCormick moves inside the national top 10 for this season.
Back from Friday’s victory in the 200, Mays made it 2-for-2 in Albuquerque with the help of a season-best 7.13 over 60 meters. The time adjusts to 7.15 (altitude) for NCAA qualifying purposes. Mays was also the 60-200 winner at last year’s Don Kirby meet.
Mays led a 1-5-6 finish for Oregon with Lily Jones (7.39) and Alexa Rossum (7.41), both season-best times.
Rodrick Pleasant, in just his second meet, lowered his lifetime best to 6.69 and finished fourth in the men’s 60 meters. Teammate PJ Ize-Iyamu, Jr., followed in fifth place at 6.73, also a personal best.
Clayton was part of two wins and two top-10 efforts Saturday, individually at 400 meters and later teamed with Shana Grebo, Katriina Wright and Shaniya Hall in the 4×400-meter relay. In the two-lap sprint, the UO junior lowered her indoor best to 52.41 which moved her from fourth to third on the program’s all-time list.
Closing out the weekend, the quartet of Clayton, Grebo, Wright and Hall combined for a season-best time of 3:31.34, good for the win and the No. 6 relay showing in school history. The time adjusts to 3:31.78 (altitude) which puts the Ducks 11th on the NCAA performance list this season; the top 12 at season’s end advance to the national meet.
For the first time in their respective careers, Aiden Smith and Benjamin Balazs dropped under eight minutes for the 3,000 meters. Smith was the Ducks’ top performer Saturday with a lifetime best of 7:56.11, good for eighth place overall. Balazs, with a personal best of his own, clocked in at 7:59.92 which secured a top-20 finish.
Sergio Del Barrio and Izaiah Steury finished in 8:01.00 and 8:01.06, respectively.
In the first field result of the day, Jaida Ross saved her best measure of the day—18.03m/59-2—for round six of the shot put and finished second. Ross lost her national lead in the event to winner Mya Lesnar of Colorado State (19.07m/62-6.75) but holds the No. 2 spot with her 18.84m/61-9.75 at the Razorback Invitational (Jan. 27).
Up Next: Ken Shannon Invitational (Feb. 23-24) in Seattle, Wash.
Full Team Results
Don Kirby Invitational | Albuquerque, N.M.
MEN
60 Meters, invitational – final
4. Rodrick Pleasant – 6.69 (PB)
5. PJ Ize-Iyamu, Jr. – 6.73 (PB)
60 Meters, invitational – prelims
7. PJ Ize-Iyamu Jr. – 6.76q
8. Rodrick Pleasant – 6.77q
60 Meters
T9. Anthony Trucks – 6.99 (PB)
18. Rafael Raap – 7.05 (PB)
28. Arthur Katahdin – 7.20 (PB)
60m Hurdles – final
5. Anthony Trucks – 7.91
60m Hurdles – prelims
4. Anthony Trucks – 7.89Q
34. Arthur Katahdin – 8.60
Shot Put
24. Rafael Raap – 14.59m/47-10.5
Triple Jump
15. Jack Normand – 14.19m/46-6.75
WOMEN
1. Jadyn Mays – 7.13 (SB)
5. Lily Jones – 7.39 (SB)
6. Alexa Rossum – 7.41 (=SB)
1. Jadyn Mays – 7.25Q
6. Lily Jones – 7.43q
7. Alexa Rossum – 7.49q
33. Brazil Neal – 7.80
400 Meters, invitational
1. Ella Clayton – 52.41 (PB) [No. 3 UO]
7. Katriina Wright – 53.81
16. Lakely Doht-Barron – 54.91 (PB)
1. Aaliyah McCormick – 8.07 (SB)
1. Aaliyah McCormick – 8.16Q
14. Gianna Bullock – 8.52 (PB)
31. Annika Williams – 8.76
34. Colleen Uzoekwe – 8.80
4x400m Relay
1. Shana Grebo/Ella Clayton/Katriina Wright/Shaniya Hall – 3:31.34 (SB) [No. 6 UO]
2. Jaida Ross – 18.03m/59-2
8. Ryann Porter – 12.81m/42-0.5
Eagle Elite Invitational | Boston, Mass.
3,000 Meters
8. Aiden Smith – 7:56.11 (PB)
17. Benjamin Balazs – 7:59.92 (PB)
22. Sergio Del Barrio – 8:01.00 (PB)
23. Izaiah Steury – 8:01.06 (PB)
Distance Medley Relay
1. Matthew Erickson/Kojo Manu/James Harding/Tomas Palfrey – 9:35.90
1. Silan Ayyildiz – 8:56.60 (PB) [No. 3 UO]
2. Dalia Frias – 9:04.20 (PB) [No. 8 UO]
9. Katie Clute – 9:21.70
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