Oregon Track & Field: “My God! It’s Full of P.R.s!”

Oregon’s Indoor Track and Field athletes hit the road again in a big way this past weekend, splitting the team between Lubbock, Texas and Seattle, Washington. At both sites, Duck competitors excelled, setting many personal records and some marks that landed amongst the best ever recorded by an Oregon Indoor Track and Field athlete. Here are some of the highlights:

Texas Tech Multis & Open, Lubbock

On Thursday, Oregon’s Pentathletes got the fireworks started in the Women’s Event. Taylor Chocek finished 4th and set Personal Bests in three of the five events, as well as a Personal Best of 4075 points, which ranks #4 on Oregon’s All-Time list in the event. All three Oregon finishers recorded scores in the Program’s Top 10. Colleen Uzoekwe scored 3904 points (7th All-Time) and Gianna Bullock 3823 points (9th). Each woman set a Personal Best in at least one event.

On Friday, Micah Williams won the Men’s 60-Meter Dash final in a time of 6.49 seconds. Jadyn Mays ran 3rd for the Women’s 60-Meter Dash in 7.19 - her season best. Aaliyah McCormick won the Women’s 60-Meter Hurdles in a blistering time of 8.07 seconds - this was not only her Personal Best, but also ranks as the #4 time in the race in Oregon indoor history.

On Saturday, Mays turned in another sterling performance in the Women’s 200 Meters. She ran a Personal Best 23.04, which also ranks #6 on the all-time Oregon list for the event. The Women’s 4 x 400 Relay team set a season best of 3:34.69 and scored a Bronze medal finish. Lexi Ellis won the Women’s Triple Jump with a leap of 44’ 3.5” and Jorinde Van Klinken set a new all-time record in the Women’s Shot Put at 60’ 10.5” and led a 1, 3, 4 finish for Oregon in the event. [Ed. Note - Van Klinken’s winning throw was about 5 feet further than the winning throw at the Univ of Arkansas-hosted event last weekend].

UW Invitational, Seattle

On Friday, Melissa Berry took 2nd in the Women’s 5000 Meters in a Personal Best of 16:33.27. Oregon’s Distance Medley Relay teams swept the Men’s and Women’s races. In this Relay, each runner covers a different distance - 400 Meters, 800 Meters, 1200 Meters and a full Mile. The UO Men’s group of Matthew Erickson, Matt Pueschner, Ben Reynolds and Elliott Cook ran a 9:43.27. The Women’s team of Klaudia Kazimierska, Mia Moerck, Izzy Thornton-Bott and Maddy Elmore won in 11:04.73.

On Saturday, Elliott Cook won the Men’s 800 Meters in 1:46.93, a Personal Best and 4th Best All-Time at Oregon. Klaudia Kazimierska set a Personal Best and a #10 All-Time UO record of 2:05.43 in the Women’s 800 Meters. In the Women’s Mile, Izzy Thornton-Bott led a 1, 5, 9 finish for the Ducks. Thornton-Bott set a Personal Best and #7 All-Time UO mark of 4:34.10.

Oregon’s Indoor Track and Field program will face its next action February 3 & 4 as they travel to Boston, Massachusetts for the Bruce Lehane Scarlet and White Invite hosted by Boston University.