BERKELEY, Calif. – Maya Valmon is the fastest woman around the track in Stanford track and field history.
Valmon, a sophomore, earned that distinction on Saturday as Stanford's men and women fell to Cal in the 128th Big Meet at Edwards Stadium. The women's score was 87-76 and the men's was 99-64. Cal leads the men's series that began in 1893, 73-53-2. Stanford leads the women's series, 28-15.
Valmon won the 400 meters in a Big Meet and school record 52.07, leading Cydney Wright to a lifetime best of 53.02 in second. Valmon breaks the Stanford mark of 53.35 that Chauntae Bayne set while winning the 2006 Pac-10 Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Bayne continues to hold Stanford records in the 100 and 200.
Valmon's previous best was 52.72 from the Mt. SAC Relays on April 14. The sophomore out of Rockville, Maryland, entered Stanford with a best of 55.20. Her 52.07 ranks Valmon No. 25 in NCAA Division I outdoors this year.
Maya Valmon after her 400 victory. Photo by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
Wright jumped to No. 7 all-time at Stanford in the 400 and to No. 10 in the 200 with her second lifetime best of the meet. Wright was a close second in the 200 in 23.43.
Valmon's record came a day after helping Stanford to the distance medley relay victory at the Penn Relays. Valmon ran a 400 split of 52.15 – the fastest of the race – to give Stanford the lead in Philadelphia. Melissa Tanaka (1,200) led off, followed by Valmon, Roisin Willis (800), and Juliette Whittaker (1,600).
The group returned to the Bay Area at 11:30 p.m., got some sleep and prepared for a meet that began the running events at 12:05 p.m. Of the foursome, all but Whittaker competed Saturday.
Valmon and Willis combined again in the 4x400 relay, which won in 3:39.03. The team consisted of Samantha Thomas, Valmon, Willis, and Taylor James. Willis, the reigning NCAA indoor 800 champion, also was third in the 400 in 53.41 – putting her No. 4 on Stanford's all-time freshman list.
Tanaka looked smooth in winning the 800 in a personal best 2:04.51. She also ran on the Stanford 'B' team for the 4x400 relay.
Stanford may have discovered its steeplechaser of the future in freshman Riley Stewart. With a minimum of preparation, Stewart made her 3,000 steeplechase debut and crushed it with a time of 10:26.02, which makes her No. 10 all-time at Stanford and the No. 5 freshman ever at Stanford.
The men had two top-10 list additions. The 4x100 team of John Kroeger, Olufemi Cole, Gabriel Navarro, Udodi Onwuzurike ran 40.01 for No. 8 in school history. Onwuzurike, in his only event of the day, closed fast on the anchor, but fell 0.03 short.
In the discus, Chudi Ikpeazu threw 184-7 7 (56.27m) for No. 10 all-time at Stanford. He placed third and was among the first to congratulate winner Mykolas Alekna of Cal, who threw 232-11 (71.00m) to break his own collegiate and meet records.
Also in the throws, Brandy Atuatasi had two victories and a second place for the Stanford women. She won the shot put with a personal best 45-10 ¾ (13.99m), won the discus at 151-3 (46.10m), and was runner-up in her first attempt at the javelin (114-5, 34.88m). By not winning the women's javelin, Stanford's Big Meet winning streak in that event ended at 19 – a streak that began in 2003.
Neither the Cardinal men or women ever led the dual meet. The hammer throw was the first event and Cal took a 9-0 lead for the women and an 8-1 lead for the men.
For the women, Stanford trailed 25-20 after Atuatasi's shot put victory in the fifth completed event. But Cal won the next five events and led by as many as 73-40 after 13. However, Stanford outscored Cal, 36-14, the rest of the way with help from sweeps in the 800 and 3,000.
Cal clinched the women's victory in the 17th of 19 events, when Aysha Shaheed won the 200, in 23.43, to give the Bears an 87-62 lead. Cal would score no more, being outscored 14-0 over the final two events, including the final event, the 4x400 relay.
Ky Robinson (right) wins the 1,500. Photo by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
The Stanford men got a brief reprieve by sweeping the steeplechase – with freshmen Zane Bergen and Callum Sherry finishing in a virtual tie at 9:36.46 – to cut the Cardinal deficit to 16-11 after three events. However, Cal outscored the Cardinal, 34-2, over a four-event stretch to build a 72-23 lead after 12 events.
Stanford did most of its damage in the distance events, outscoring the Bears, 33-3, in events from 800 and longer. Ky Robinson won the 800 and 1,500 and the Cardinal swept the 800, 3,000, and steeplechase. But Stanford could not prevent Cal from clinching by the 14th event, a Bears' sweep of the 400 hurdles, for an 84-38 advantage.
And what a day for Garrett Brown. The pole vaulter won his event at 17-9 (5.41m), just a ¼ inch off his outdoor PB. He was third in the 110 hurdles (14.93) despite running it for the first time only last week, threw the javelin 120-5 (36.72m), and ran a leg on the 4x400 relay – barely finishing before taking a tumble on the rail.
The Big Meet concludes the regular season for Stanford, which heads to the Pac-12 Championships next. The meet is May 12-14 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.
Olufemi Cole takes the handoff from Garrett Brown in the 4x400 relay. Photo by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
* * *
Big Meet
At Edwards Stadium
Top three and all Stanford
Men
Team scores – California 99, Stanford 64.
100 – 1, John Kroeger (Stanford) 10.86; 2, Samir Thota (Cal) 10.98; 3, Gabriel Navarro (Stanford) 11.07.
200 – 1, George Malone (Cal) 21.31; 2, Olufemi Cole (Stanford) 21.35 (PB); 3, Gavin Schurr (Cal) 21.60; 4, Karson Lippert (Stanford) 22.15.
400 – 1, Aiden Lippert (Cal) 46.78; 2, Henry Larkin (Cal) 47.00; 3, Isaiah Shaw (Cal) 47.81; 4, Olufemi Cole (Stanford) 48.11; 5, Karson Lippert (Stanford) 48.24.
800 – 1, Ky Robinson (Stanford) 1:53.32 (PB); 2, Zane Bergen (Stanford) 1:53.55; 3, Gavin Sherry (Stanford) 1:54.64 (PB); 5, Galen Topper (Stanford) 1:59.93 (PB).
1,500 -- 1, Ky Robinson (Stanford) 3:45.64 (PB); 2, Garrett MacQuiddy (Cal) 3:45.83; 3, Charles Hicks (Stanford) 3:47.75; 4, Cole Sprout (Stanford) 3:47.90; 5, Gavin Sherry (Stanford) 3:50.03; 6, Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau (Stanford) 3:51.09; 7, Caleb Boutelle (Stanford) 3:51.57.
3,000 – 1, Charles Hicks (Stanford) 8:09.51; 2, Cole Sprout (Stanford) 8:09.74; 3, Robert DiDonato (Stanford) 8:13.11; 4, Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau (Stanford) 8:13.60; 5, Caleb Boutelle (Stanford) 8:15.50; 7, Callum Sherry (Stanford) 8:31.97.
110 hurdles – 1, Di'Niko Bates (Cal) 14.08; 2, Riley Hunt (Cal) 14.28; 3, Garrett Brown (Stanford) 14.93 (PB).
400 hurdles – 1, William Sornberger (Cal) 52.21; 2, Aiden Baker (Cal) 52.50; 3, Di'Niko Bates (Cal) 55.05.
3,000 steeplechase – 1, Zane Bergen (Stanford) 9:36.46; 2, Callum Sherry (Stanford) 9:36.46; 3, Galen Topper (Stanford) 10:36.31 (PB).
4x100 relay – 1, Cal 39.98; 2, Stanford (John Kroeger, Olufemi Cole, Gabriel Navarro, Udodi Onwuzurike) 40.01 (No. 8 Stanford AT).
4x400 relay – 1, Cal 3:12.46; 2, Stanford (John Kroeger, Karson Lippert, Garrett Brown, Olufemi Cole) 3:21.02.
High jump – 1, Jai Williams (Cal) 6-11 (2.11m); 2, Riley Knott (Cal) 6-6 ¼ (1.99m); 3, Seth Johnson (Cal) 6-5 (1.96m); 4, James Stevens (Stanford) 6-1 ¼ (1.86m).
Pole vault – 1, Garrett Brown (Stanford) 17-9 (5.41m); 2, Max Manson (Stanford) 17-5 (5.31m); 3, Skyler Magula (Cal) 17-5 (5.31m); 5, J.T. Herrscher (Stanford) 15-11 ¼ (4.86m).
Long jump – 1, Hakim McMorris (Cal) 24-5 ½ (7.45m); 2, Allan Hunter (Stanford) 24-3 (7.39m); 3, John Kroeger (Stanford) 23-10 1/4w (7.27m), 19-6 ¾ (5.96m).
Triple jump – 1, Kevin Yang (Stanford) 50-9 1/4w (15.47m), 49-10 ½ (15.20m); 2, Isaiah Shaw (Cal) 47-3 ½ (14.41m); 3, Allan Hunter (Stanford) 45-10 1/2w (13.98m), 44-11 ½ (13.70m).
Shot put – 1, Jeff Duensing (Cal) 61-8 ½ (18.81m); 2, Jake Porter (Cal) 57-8 ¼ (17.58m); 3, Garin Gross (Stanford) 46-9 ½ (14.26m).
Discus – 1, Mykolas Alekna (Cal) 232-11 (71.00m) (collegiate record; meet record); 2, Iffy Joyner (Cal) 197-3 (60.14m); 3, Chudi Ikpeazu (Stanford) 184-7 (56.27m) (No. 10 Stanford AT); 5, Max McKhann (Stanford) 152-10 (46.59m); 7, Garin Gross (Stanford) 140-11 (42.95m) (PB).
Hammer – 1, Kegan Schroeter (Cal) 223-7 (68.15m); 2, Ivar Moisander (Cal) 219-6 (66.90m); 3, Max McKhann (Stanford) 216-9 (66.08m); 5, Anthony Argyropoulos (Stanford) 194-3 (59.21m).
Javelin – 1, Riley Knott (Cal) 171-5 (52.25m); 2, Seth Johnson (Cal) 153-5 (46.78m); 3, Cole Whatley (Cal) 152-11 (46.61m); 5, Garrett Brown (Stanford) 120-5 (36.72m); 6, Miles Zoltak (Stanford) 85-4 (26.03m) (PB).
Riley Stewart. Photo by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
Women
Team scores – California 87, Stanford 76.
100 – 1, Aysha Shaheed (Cal) 11.42; 2, Makhaila Mills (Cal) 11.73; 3, Olivia Okoli (Stanford) 11.87; 5, Megan Olomu (Stanford) 12.15 (PB).
200 – 1, Aysha Shaheed (Cal) 23.43; 2, Cydney Wright (Stanford) 23.45 (PB; No. 10 Stanford AT); 3, Jahzara Richardson (Cal) 24.27; 4, Megan Olomu (Stanford) 24.80 (PB); 9, Camille Peisner (Stanford) 25.64.
400 – 1, Maya Valmon (Stanford) 52.07 (PB; Stanford record; Big Meet record); 2, Cydney Wright (Stanford) 53.02 (PB; No. 7 Stanford AT); 3, Roisin Willis (Stanford) 53.41 (No. 4 Stanford frosh); 6, 57.24.
800 – 1, Melissa Tanaka (Stanford) 2:04.51 (PB); 2, Taylor James (Stanford) 2:05.19 (PB); 3, Anna Tovkach (Stanford) 2:05.77; 5, Julia Flynn (Stanford) 2:07.80 (PB); 6, Lily Flynn (Stanford) 2:09.19; 7, Nicola Hogg (Stanford) 2:13.69; 9, Hannah Wilson (Stanford) 2:15.00.
1,500 – 1, Claire Yerby (Cal) 4:16.41 (meet record); 2, Zofia Dudek (Stanford) 4:19.02 (PB); 3, Ellie Deligianni (Stanford) 4:19.83; 4, Lucy Jenks (Stanford) 4:20.30; 5, Grace Connolly (Stanford) 4:21.99 (PB); 7, Audrey Suarez (Stanford) 4:32.92.
3,000 – 1, Zofia Dudek (Stanford) 9:31.91; 2, Audrey DaDamio (Stanford) 9:37.48; 3, Lucy Jenks (Stanford) 9:39.79; 4, Grace Connolly (Stanford) 9:45.13; 6, Audrey Suarez (Stanford) 10:08.59.
100 hurdles – 1, Jada Hicks (Cal) 13.28; 2, Jazlynn Shearer (Cal) 13.61; 3, Torre Anderson (Cal) 14.80; 5, Madison Romain (Stanford) 15.14 (PB).
400 hurdles – 1, Samantha Thomas (Stanford) 59.45; 2, Jordyn Grady (Cal) 1:01.45; 3, Loreal Wilson (Cal) 1:01.54; 4, Madison Romain (Stanford) 1:18.98.
3,000 steeplechase – 1, Riley Stewart (Stanford) 10:26.02 (PB; No. 10 Stanford AT; No. 5 Stanford frosh); 2, Ava Parekh (Stanford) 10:55.79 (PB); 3, Georgia McCorkle (Cal) 11:03.49.
4x100 relay – 1, Cal 44.23 (meet record); 2, Stanford (Olivia Okoli, Alyssa Jones, Cydney Wright, Megan Olomu) 45.91.
4x400 relay – 1, Stanford 'A' (Samantha Thomas, Maya Valmon, Roisin Willis, Taylor James) 3:39.03; 2, Cal 3:42.84; 3, Stanford 'B' (Anna Tovkach, Melissa Tanaka, Ellie Deligianni, Julia Flynn) 3:49.10.
High jump – 1, Yan Hei Lai (Cal) 5-9 ¼ (1.76m); 2, Alyssa Jones (Stanford) 5-7 ¼ (1.71m); 3, Torre Anderson (Cal) 5-1 ¼ (1.56m).
Pole vault – 1, Amari Turner (Cal) 13-7 ¼ (4.15m); 2, Kelly Kern (Stanford) 12-9 ½ (3.90m); 3, Ali Sahaida (Cal) 12-9 ½ (3.90m); 4, Laurel Wong (Stanford) 12-9 ½ (3.90m); 7, Lianne Kistler (Stanford) 12-3 ½ (3.75m).
Long jump – 1, Ijeoma Uche (Cal) 20-3 (6.17m); 2, Alyssa Jones (Stanford) 20-1 (6.12m); 3, Tess Stapleton (Stanford) 19-6 1/4w (5.95m), 19-0 ½ (5.80m); 4, Alaysia Oakes (Stanford) 19-2 (5.84m); 5, Teagan Zwaanstra (Stanford) 18-9 1/4w (5.72m), 18-7 ¾ (5.68m).
Triple jump – 1, Busola Akinduro (Cal) 41-3 (12.57m); 2, Asha Fletcher (Cal) 40-2 (12.24m); 3, Felicia Renelus (Cal) 40-2 (12.24m); 4, Alaysia Oakes (Stanford) 38-9 (11.81m); 5, Ellie Talius (Stanford) 38-6 (11.73m).
Shot put – 1, Brandy Atuatasi (Stanford) 45-10 ¾ (13.99m) (PB); 2, Sara Pettinger (Cal) 41-3 ¼ (12.58m): 3, Carolina Visca (Cal) 35-3 ¼ (10.75m).
Discus – 1, Brandy Atuatasi (Stanford) 151-3 (46.10m); 2, Sara Pettinger (Cal) 149-5 (45.54m); 3, Carolina Visca (Cal) 113-11 (34.73m).
Hammer – 1, Anna Purchase (Cal) 228-7 (69.69m); 2, Rebecca Tomann (Cal) 183-7 (55.96m); 3, Destiny Okoh (Cal) 180-7 (55.04m).
Javelin – 1, Carolina Visca (Cal) 171-11 (52.41m); 2, Brandy Atuatasi (Stanford) 114-5 (34.88m) (PB); 3, Yuki Hamachi (Cal) 97-5 (29.70m); 4, Elise Miller (Stanford) 85-8 (26.11m); 5, Morgan Foster (Stanford) 53-3 (16.25m) (PB).