Jessica Pixler impressive over 5000 meters at Stanford Invite...

PALO ALTO, California--Sammamish native Jessica Pixler (left/photo courtesy University of Colorado) ran the fastest time in the world in this young outdoor season as the Seattle Pacific graduate won the invitational section of the women's 5000 meter run at the Stanford Invitational Friday night.

Pixler, a graduate student at the University of Colorado who has outdoor eligibility remaining, clocked 15:25.58 to defeat US Olympian Jen Rhines, who was second in 15:32.70.

University of Washington freshman Megan Goethals finished fourth in 16:06.64.

Until Pixler's run, the fastest time in the world outdoors this season was by Brazil's Simone da Silva's mark of 15:27.69 two weeks ago in Sao Paolo.

Pixler, who Seattle sports fans voted in January as its female Sports Star of 2010 after a brilliant career at Seattle Pacific in which she won 12 NCAA Division II titles in cross country, indoor and outdoor track, may have put herself on the USTFCCCA's Bowerman Watch list after Friday night's race, which was a 18.49 second personal best, eclipsing her previous PR of 15:44.07, set in this meet last year.

Courtesy of media partner RunnerSpace.com, here's the post-race interview with Pixler:



The Washington Huskies swept the 100 meter dashes, as Dominique Lauderdale and James Alaka emerged victorious.

Lauderdale won the women's final in a windy 11.54, while Alaka, a Pac-10 finalist from London, England, won the men's sprint in 10.37.

Eastern Washington's Brad Wall took home the victory in the men's 400, winning in 47.88.

In the men's 5000, three Huskies--Colton Tully-Doyle, James Cameron, and Max O'Donoghue-McDonald broke 14 minutes, with Tully-Doyle running 13:47.25, Cameron clocking 13:51.83, and O'Donoghue-McDonald just getting under the wire at 13:59.82.

In the women's 10000, sophomore Lindsay Flanagan became just the fifth Husky woman ever to go under 34 minutes, running 33:42.50.

Washington State's J Hopkins had the top time of the four sections of the men's 400m hurdles, running a season-best 52.25 seconds. Rashaun Johnson had the second-fastest time of the day at 52.44.

Cougar sophomore Shaquana Logan (13.91w) in the 100 meter hurdles and 110 hurdler Ramsey Hopkins (14.57) both qualified for the finals Saturday after clocking those marks in Friday's qualifying rounds.

Also qualifying for Saturday's final in the 100m hurdles was Washington grad Falesha Ankton, now competing for Brooks. She ran a wind-legal 13.52 in her outdoor season debut.

In the women's javelin, Seattle Pacific junior Brittany Aanstad threw the javelin 140 feet even (42.67 meters) to take third place in that event.

WSU's Stephan Scott-Ellis was third in the men's long jump at 24-3 (7.39m), while Eastern Washington's Kurt Williams was eighth at 22-5 3/4 (6.85m). In the women's long jump, Eastern's Brianna Okoro (17-10.75/5.45m) and Krystal Deyo (17-8.75/5.40m) finished sixth and seventh, respectively.

Complete results from day 1 of the Stanford Invitational can be accessed here (click on desired event).


NOTE:  The University of Colorado, Stanford University, Seattle Pacific, University of Washington, and Washington State University contributed to this report.

Comments