Oklahoma State University Athletics
Saturday, March 28
Palo Alto, Calif.
10:00 AM
Oklahoma State University
vs
Stanford Invitational
Oklahoma State Track Rolls At Stanford Invitational
March 28, 2009 | Cowgirl Cross Country & Track
PALO ALTO, Calif. – The Oklahoma State men's and women's track and field teams were in action Friday at the Stanford Invitational. David Chirchir led the way for the Cowboys by winning section two of the 3000 meter steeplechase and Mihaela Susa and Tone Hjalmarsen paced the Cowgirls with both runners clocking times that rank among the top 10 in school history. All tolled OSU's men and women combined to record eight NCAA regional qualifying marks Friday.
Chirchir won his section of the 3,000 meter steeplechase in rousing fashion, beating the field by five seconds with a time of 8:55.13. That time is not only good for an NCAA regional qualifying mark by more than 11 seconds, but it also shattered his previous personal-best mark of 9:07.20 and is the seventh-fastest mark in school history.
As for Susa, the sophomore from Romania ran the 5,000 meters in 16:09.83 to easily hit the regional qualifying standard and log the fourth-fastest time in school history and the fastest since Siri Alfheim was clocked at 16:00.47 at the 2002 NCAA Championships. Hjalmarsen also set a new personal best when she ran the 10,000 meters in 34:29.63 to earn an NCAA provisional mark. Her effort Friday ranks as the eighth-fastest time in school history and the fastest since Mary Davies was timed at 33:08.00 at the 2006 NCAA Championships.
A trio of Cowboys also posted regional qualifying times in the 5,000 meters, with Sean Fleming (14:01.21), Alejandro Ruiz (14:06.67) and Matt Barnes-Smith (14:09.92) all bettering the regional standard of 14:12.00.
On the women's side, junior Natalia Kovtun turned in a regional qualifying mark of 16:47.07 in the 5,000 meters despite running her first-ever 5,000-meter race.
Cowboy freshman and Big 12 Indoor Athlete of the Year German Fernandez joins teammate Ryan Vail in competing at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Amman, Jordan tomorrow. The two-time reigning American junior cross country champion, Fernandez will compete in the junior race at 7 a.m. Stillwater time and Vail will be in the senior race at 8:30 a.m. Stillwater time.
Several other Cowboys and Cowgirls will be in action tomorrow, either at the Stanford Invitational or at the UTA Bobby Lane Invitational in Arlington, Texas.
Men's Results
1500 meters (sec. 4)
3 John Stublaski - 3:51.44
3000 meter steeplechase (sec. 2)
1 David Chirchir - 8:55.13R
5000 meters (sec. 2)
2 Sean Fleming - 14:01.21R
8 Alejandro Ruiz – 14:06.67R
12 Matt Barnes-Smith – 14:09.92R
5000 meters (sec. 3)
4 Ryan Prentice - 14:16.43
10000 meters (sec. 2)
16 Colby Lowe – 29:16.79R
-- Clay Mayes - DNF
Women's Results
5000 meters (sec. 1)
14 Mihaela Susa – 16:09.83R
5000 meters (sec. 2)
15 Natalia Kovtun: 16:47.07R
10000 meters (sec. 1)
14 Tone Hjalmarsen – 34:29.63R
R – NCAA regional qualifying mark
Chirchir won his section of the 3,000 meter steeplechase in rousing fashion, beating the field by five seconds with a time of 8:55.13. That time is not only good for an NCAA regional qualifying mark by more than 11 seconds, but it also shattered his previous personal-best mark of 9:07.20 and is the seventh-fastest mark in school history.
As for Susa, the sophomore from Romania ran the 5,000 meters in 16:09.83 to easily hit the regional qualifying standard and log the fourth-fastest time in school history and the fastest since Siri Alfheim was clocked at 16:00.47 at the 2002 NCAA Championships. Hjalmarsen also set a new personal best when she ran the 10,000 meters in 34:29.63 to earn an NCAA provisional mark. Her effort Friday ranks as the eighth-fastest time in school history and the fastest since Mary Davies was timed at 33:08.00 at the 2006 NCAA Championships.
A trio of Cowboys also posted regional qualifying times in the 5,000 meters, with Sean Fleming (14:01.21), Alejandro Ruiz (14:06.67) and Matt Barnes-Smith (14:09.92) all bettering the regional standard of 14:12.00.
On the women's side, junior Natalia Kovtun turned in a regional qualifying mark of 16:47.07 in the 5,000 meters despite running her first-ever 5,000-meter race.
Cowboy freshman and Big 12 Indoor Athlete of the Year German Fernandez joins teammate Ryan Vail in competing at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Amman, Jordan tomorrow. The two-time reigning American junior cross country champion, Fernandez will compete in the junior race at 7 a.m. Stillwater time and Vail will be in the senior race at 8:30 a.m. Stillwater time.
Several other Cowboys and Cowgirls will be in action tomorrow, either at the Stanford Invitational or at the UTA Bobby Lane Invitational in Arlington, Texas.
Men's Results
1500 meters (sec. 4)
3 John Stublaski - 3:51.44
3000 meter steeplechase (sec. 2)
1 David Chirchir - 8:55.13R
5000 meters (sec. 2)
2 Sean Fleming - 14:01.21R
8 Alejandro Ruiz – 14:06.67R
12 Matt Barnes-Smith – 14:09.92R
5000 meters (sec. 3)
4 Ryan Prentice - 14:16.43
10000 meters (sec. 2)
16 Colby Lowe – 29:16.79R
-- Clay Mayes - DNF
Women's Results
5000 meters (sec. 1)
14 Mihaela Susa – 16:09.83R
5000 meters (sec. 2)
15 Natalia Kovtun: 16:47.07R
10000 meters (sec. 1)
14 Tone Hjalmarsen – 34:29.63R
R – NCAA regional qualifying mark
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