Huskies' Scott Toney sets personal best in winning pole vault in Chula Vista...

In Chula Vista, California, Washington grad student Scott Toney (Paul Merca photo) cleared a lifetime best to win the men's pole vault at the Maximum Velocity Athletics Born to Run Invitational Sunday at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center Sunday.

Toney, who finished eleventh at the NCAA outdoor championships and won the Big Ten indoor title, opened with a first attempt clearance at 17-3.5 (5.27m), then hit a rough patch, needing all three attempts to clear 17-11.25 (5.47m) to stay in the competition with pros Nate Richartz and Olen Oates.

Toney, who was third entering the eventual winning height of 18-7.25 (5.67m), needed a third attempt clearance to win the competition, as both Richartz and Oates missed all three tries to finish second and third at 17-11.25 (5.47m).

The UW grad student's previous personal best was 18-4.5 (5.60m) set indoors in Albuquerque in February.

For the time being, the mark puts Toney inside the top 16 to qualify for the USA championships at the end of July in Eugene. The qualifying window for the USA championships is Juiy 20th.

Former Pullman resident and defending world champion Katie Moon soared to the 2025 world outdoor lead in the women's pole vault, clearing 15-10 (4.83m).

Moon, who was the only competitor remaining, opened with a second attempt clearance at 15-0.25 (4.58m), then made 15-6.25 (4.73m) and the eventual winning height of 15-10 (4.83m) on her first attempts.

She then took three unsuccessful shots at 16-0.75 (4.90m).

Complete results of the Maximum Velocity Athletics Born to Run Invitational are available here.

JULIA DAVID-SMITH SETS PERSONAL BEST AT 5000M IN CARQUEFOU...

In Carquefou, France, Washington's Julia David-Smith (Paul Merca photo) set a new personal best at 5000 meters Saturday at the Meeting National de Carquefou at the Stade Du Moulin Boisseau.

David-Smith, who qualified for her first NCAA outdoor championship meet in the 5000, where she finished 19th, placed seventh in a time of 15:39.97.

That topped her previous personal best of 15:43.30, set at the Big Ten championships in May.

In the same meet, Western Washington's Bec Bennett won her section of the women's 400, running 53.75, a mark which would have placed fourth in the top section.

Since the conclusion of the NCAA Division II championships in Colorado last month, Bennett has raced three other times in Europe; twice in Poland, and once in Lithuania.

Complete results of the Meeting National de Carquefou are available here.

NOTE: The Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, World Athletics, and European Athletics  contributed to this report.

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