WEEKEND ROUNDUP: Olivia Gruver scales 2022 outdoor world best at Fresno State Invite, and more...
The last weekend in April is traditionally one of the busiest weekends, with collegiate squads starting to peak for championship season in May and June, and the professionals starting to ramp up their competitive schedules.
Here's what went down on Saturday:
In Fresno at the Fresno State Invitational, Washington alum and volunteer coach Olivia Gruver (Paul Merca photo) broke her own stadium record in the pole vault, as she cleared 15-5.5 (4.71m) to win the event and set the best outdoor mark in the world so far this season.
Washington State's Micaela De Mello continues to be a threat nationally in the 100 hurdles, as she won the event in a time of 13.09.
While it was a touch wind-aided (+2.2), Washington volunteer coach Tim Duckworth, the former British national champion in the event, won the long jump with a best of 25-7.5 (7.81m), as he prepares for a possible return to the world championships in the decathlon.
Other significant marks:
--WSU alum Sam Brixey set a stadium record of 13.65 in winning the men's 110 hurdles;
--UW's Carley Thomas continued her comeback by winning the women's invitational 800 in 2:04.49;
--Washington's Makayla Kelby broke a 34 year old school record in the shot put, taking down Jennifer Ponath's 1988 mark of 55-7 (16.94m), as she won the event with a throw of 55-10.5 (17.03m);
--Washington State's Jacob Englar won the men's pole vault with a Pac-12 conference leading mark of 17-5.5 (5.32m).
Complete results of the Fresno State Invitational are available here.
At the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, New Zealand Olympian and University of Washington school record holder Sam Tanner won the invitational 1500 Saturday, running 3:41.28.
Tanner, who opted out of his remaining UW eligibility and turned professional after competing in the Olympics last year, was in front nearly all the way, as he was tucked behind pacemaker Nate Sloan, pulling away to victory in 3:41.28, almost four seconds ahead of runner-up Casey Comber's 3:45.20.
Tanner is back in the United States to train and race for about a month.
Results of the Drake Relays are available here.
In Philadelphia, former Renton resident and two-time Olympian Devon Allen won the Olympic Development Invitational 110 hurdles race in 13.11 at the Penn Relays.
Allen, competing in the city where he hopes to return this fall as a wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles, easily defeated Jamaica's 2016 Olympic champ Omar McLeod, who ran 13.22.
Results of the Penn Relays are available here.
In Corvallis, Eastern Washington's Liam Bracken, and Alex Bishop, along with the Seattle University men's 4 x 100 relay team got wins on the final day of competition at the Oregon State High Performance meet hosted by Oregon State University.
Bracken won the men's 400 in 48.70, while Bishop won the high jump at 6-10.75.
Seattle University's men's 400 relay squad won in a time of 42.52.
The Eagles also sent some athletes to Irvine, California for the Steve Scott Invitational hosted by UC Irvine.
Daniel Gaik put himself on the EWU top ten list in the 200 meters, as he ran 21.46 to finish sixth. He also finished third in the 400 in 47.99.
Gaik is the first Eagle sprinter to place himself in the school's top ten list in all three sprint distances, according to EWU head coach Stan Kerr.
Katrina Terry, Hally Ruff, and Savannah Schultz competed in the women's pole vault and placed 2-4-8. Terry placed second with a mark of 12-5.5 (3.80m). Ruff placed fourth, also at 12-5.5 Schultz placed eighth with a mark of 11-11.75 (3.65m).
Complete results of the Oregon State High Performance meet, and the Steve Scott Invitational are available by clicking on the name of the meet.
In Bellingham, Western Washington's Mac Franks won the Bill Roe Memorial Mile at the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational, hosted by Western Washington University.
Franks and teammate Drew Weber, who were aiming to break 4 minutes, battled each other to the end, with Franks taking the victory in 4:03.64 to Weber's 4:05.10,
Complete results of the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational are available here.
NOTE: The sports information offices of the University of Pennsylvania, Drake University Fresno State University, Eastern Washington University, University of Washington, Washington State University, Western Washington University, and Oregon State University contributed to this report.
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