BERKELEY, Calif. – Stanford junior Samantha Thomas opened her outdoor season with a personal best in the 400-meter hurdles three weeks ago, and broke it again Saturday with a time that placed her among the best in school history.
Thomas broke 1 minute for the first time, running 59.92 while placing second at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational at Cal's Edwards Stadium. She opened by the Cardinal Classic at home in 1:00.22 on March 18. In three meets this season, Thomas already has set a personal best twice.
Thomas moves into Stanford's all-time performers' list at No. 9, jumping Danielle Spurlock (59.98 in 2001) and displacing Christy Boyd (1:00.09 in 1994) from the Top 10. The time was the fastest by a Cardinal in seven years, since Hannah Labrie-Smith ran 59.67 in 2016.
Thomas was among 23 Cardinal -- sprinters, throwers, and jumpers -- to compete on Saturday. The Cardinal had one winner – Cydney Wright in the women's 100. Wright ran 11.89 to win Section 1 by 0.15, though Section 2 winner Makhaila Mills of Cal came closest to her, in 11.99.
It was the first collegiate 100 for Wright, a sophomore academically, and her first at that distance since placing third in the Florida 3A state final in 2021.
The men's hammer provided another strong performance from indoor All-American Max McKhann. He followed up his lifetime best in the hammer last week with second place in 214-6 (65.39m), his second-best performance. Teammate Anthony Argyropoulos was sixth with a nine-foot personal best of 188-8 (57.52m).
Stanford next competes in Southern California, with the squad spread among three meets – the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, and Beach Invitational in Long Beach.
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Brutus Hamilton Invitational
At Edwards Stadium, Berkeley
Winners and all Stanford results
Men
100 – 1, David Foster (Cal) 10.33; 6, John Kroeger (Stanford) 10.70 (PB); 11, Karson Lippert (Stanford) 10.96; 26, Garrett Brown (Stanford) 11.39 (PB).
Pole vault – 1, Skyler Magula (Cal) 18-1 ¼ (5.52m); 2 (tie), Max Manson (Stanford) and Garrett Brown (Stanford), each 16-9 ½ (5.12m); 4, J.T. Herrscher (Stanford) 15-9 ¾ (4.82m).
Long jump – 1, Yacouba Gnacko (Academy of Art) 23-8 (7.21m); 2, Allan Hunter (Stanford) 23-6 ¾ (7.18m); 6, Kevin Yang (Stanford) 22-1 ¾ (6.75m).
Triple jump – 1, John Gibbs (Sacramento State) 48-7 ½ (14.82m); 2, Marcus Floyd (Stanford) 46-6 ¾ (14.19m).
Shot put – 1, Jake Porter (Cal) 57-10 ½ (17.64m); 6, Garin Gross (Stanford) 49-3 (15.01m).
Discus – 1, Mykolas Alekna (Cal) 224-4 (68.39m); 10, Garin Gross (Stanford) 137-4 (41.86m).
Hammer – 1, Kegan Schroeter (Cal) 222-7 (67.86m); 2, Max McKhann (Stanford) 214-6 (65.39m); 6, Anthony Argyropoulos (Stanford) 188-8 (57.52m) (PB).
Women
100 – 1, Cydney Wright (Stanford) 11.89; 7, Olivia Okoli (Stanford) 12.19; 8, Alaysia Oakes (Stanford) 12.24.
200 – 1, Aysha Shaheed (Cal) 23.74; 15, Megan Olomu (Stanford) 25.38; 16, Camille Peisner (Stanford) 25.42.
400 – 1, Ryan Lacefield (Cal) 54.76; 7, Camille Peisner (Stanford) 57.04; 16, Megan Olomu (Stanford) 59.36 (PB).
100 hurdles – 1, Jada Hicks (Cal) 13.56; 10, Madison Romain (Stanford) 16.10.
400 hurdles – 1, Olivia Alexandre (San Francisco) 59.68; 2, Samantha Thomas (Stanford) 59.92 (PB; No. 9 Stanford AT); 3, Madison Romain (Stanford) 1:04.88 (PB).
Pole vault – 1, Amari Turner (Cal) 13-9 ¾ (4.21m); 2, Laurel Wong (Stanford) 13-3 ¾ (4.06m); 5, Kelly Kern (Stanford) 12-4 (3.76m); Lianne Kistler (Stanford) NH.
Long jump – 1, Chelsea Daye (UC Davis) 19-8 ¾ (6.01m); 2, Alaysia Oakes (Stanford) 19-3 ½ (5.87m); 4, Teagan Zwaanstra (Stanford) 18-5 ¾ (5.63m).
Shot put – 1, Rebel Tuinukuafe (UC Davis) 44-4 ½ (13.52m); 5, Brandy Atuatasi (Stanford) 38-7 (11.76m).
Discus – 1, Elena Bruckner (unat.) 197-8 (60.26m); 2, Brandy Atuatasi (Stanford) 154-4 (47.05m).
AT = all-time
PB = personal best
