WEEKEND RECAP: CJ Allen wins 400H at Mt. SAC Relays Saturday, plus Beach Invite highlights...
With many of Washington’s Division I and II schools and post-collegians spread out throughout the greater Los Angeles area, here’s the rundown on what went down on Saturday:
MT. SAC RELAYS
At the temporary home of the Mt. SAC Relays on the campus of El Camino College in Torrance, Washington State’s CJ Allen (left/photo courtesy WSU Athletics) won the invitational 400 hurdles, setting a personal best of 49.99, defeating a field that included 2012 Puerto Rican Olympian Eric Alejandro (50.45), and Federal Way resident and 2016 Cape Verde Olympian Jordin Andrade (51.29).
“The race was very clean and very easy,” Allen said. “I was slow through 300 meters and had a huge kick to overpower (Alejandro) at hurdle 10. There’s a lot of room for me to run very fast this year.”
The two-time Pac-12 400 hurdles champion’s mark is the fifth fastest in WSU history, and the seventh fastest time in the NCAA Division I ranks this season.
Tacoma native Marcus Chambers of the University of Oregon finished second in the invitational mens’ 400, running 45.29.
Federal Way HS grad Hannah Cunliffe of Oregon ran the third leg on the Ducks’ 4 x 100 relay team that broke their own collegiate record, as they ran 42.12, eclipsing their own mark of 42.34 set a few weeks ago at the Florida Relays.
In the women’s 4 x 400 relay, Washington’s squad of Whitney Diggs, Imani Apostol, Darhian Mills and Laura Anuakpado broke a 19-year old school record, running 3:36.50 in finishing fourth behind Oregon (3:27.98), LSU (3:31.61) and the Kersee All Stars (3:35.06) squad that featured Olympic champion Allyson Felix.
Washington State’s team of Grace Victor, Liz Harper, Alissa Brooks-Johnson & Marlow Schulz finished eighth in that race.
The Husky men’s 4x400 team of Lucas Strong, Jacopo Spano, Michael Thomas & Ryan Croson ran 3:08.45 to finish third in their heat and sixth overall, as LSU won in 3:04.19.
The Cougars’ Kiana Davis finished fourth in the invitational triple jump with a mark of 42-0.75 (12.82m), two centimeters behind WSU alum Blessing Ufodiama (42-1.5/12.84m).
Earlier in the day, Anuakpado was sixth overall (third in her heat) of the invitational 400, as she ran 54.25, the second fastest in school history.
UW alum Izaic Yorks of the Brooks Beasts was sixth in his section of the men’s invitational 800, running 1:49.66.
BEACH INVITATIONAL
In Long Beach, Washington’s Kristina Owsinski and Liz Quick both cleared an outdoor season best in the pole vault at the Beach Invitational, hosted by Long Beach State University, with each clearing 14-3.25 (4.35m). Owsinski finished third and Quick tied for fourth.
UW alum Diamara Planell Cruz was eighth with a best of 13-9.25 (4.20m).
The Huskies’ Ryan Croson won the men’s 400 in 47.54, before traveling across town to Torrance to join his teammates on the 4 x 400 relay at the Mt. SAC Relays.
A day after running a season best in the 1500m at Mt. SAC, Amy-Eloise Neale finished second in her heat of the 800, setting a PR 2:07.84.
One result missed from Friday’s portion of the Beach Invitational was in the women’s javelin, as Western Washington alum Katie Reichert won the event with a toss of 182-0 (55.47m).
NOTE: The sports information offices of Mt. SAC, Long Beach State, University of Oregon, University of Washington, Western Washington, and Washington State contributed to this report.
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