Cal’s Men Earn Fourth-Straight Big Meet Win Over Stanford

BERKELEY – The California track & field team closed out its regular season Saturday afternoon at home, hosting rival Stanford for the 130th Big Meet on Saturday. For the fourth year in a row, Cal’s men won, 95-65, while Stanford’s women recorded their second-straight victory, 87-72.

Four meet records – three by the Golden Bears, one by the Cardinal – were reset. Johnny Goode shattered the men’s 400m record set by Stanford’s Rene Rodriguez in 1994 with a time of 45.83, while Bowerman candidate Mykolas Alekna bettered the men’s discus meet record for the third time in his career with a mark of 71.29m (233-10). Caisa-Marie Lindfors struck down the women’s discus record held by Stanford’s Carol Cady for 41 years, recording a throw of 61.52m (201-10). On the visitors’ side, Sophia Kennedy lowered the women’s 1500m meet record (previously held by Claire Yerby of Cal) to 4:15.93.

The Bears’ day started off by collecting all available points in the men’s and women’s hammer throw, led by Jared Freeman for the men (65.77m/215-9) and Valentina Savva for the women (69.03m/226-5); Kai Burich, who placed second on the men’s side, found great success of his own by crossing the 60-meter barrier for the first time in a Cal uniform with his mark of 60.27m (197-9), while Freeman went on to finish second in the discus with a 16-foot PR of 59.77m (196-1) that ranks 10th in program history. Cal also swept in the men’s and women’s javelin (thanks to Charlie Dang’s throw of 59.65m/195-8 and Torre Anderson’s PR of 34.78m/114-1) as well as the men’s and women’s triple jump (led by Kosi Nwafor’s wind-aided PR of 15.32m/50-3.25 and Myla Canty’s leap of 12.95m/42-6). Like Burich in the hammer, second-place triple jumper Jeremiah Bolaños reached a milestone by joining Nwafor in surpassing 50 feet (15.27m/50-1.25).

Ali Sahaida claimed victory in the women’s pole vault with a lifetime best of 4.30m (14-1.25) to tie alumna Lauren Martinez for the second-best result in program history. Lucija Leko won the women’s shot put with her mark of 16.53m (54-2.75), just .01 meters off her personal best, while Giavonna Meeks improved her best mark of the year to 15.46m (50-8.75) – ninth-farthest all-time by any Bear. Jason Plumb (7.56m/24-9.75) and Trevor Rogers (7.42m/24-4.25) went 1-2 in the men’s long jump, with Rogers posting his top outdoor leap as a collegian.

Cal’s first win on the track came with a dramatic finish in the men’s 4x100m relay as the quartet of Javon Hampton Jr., Goode, Wazell Wright and Rogers finished just .01 seconds (40.15) ahead of Stanford. School record-holder Garrett MacQuiddy took the next win with his signature kick late in the final lap of the men’s 1500m, posting a time of 3:44.42. A thrilling women’s 100m hurdles race followed, with Asjah Atkinson winning in 13.44 and teammates Saqqara Ruffin (13.45, seventh-fastest in program history), Mari Testa (13.54, eighth-fastest in program history) and Fallyn Gowans (13.85) posting significant personal bests.

Donovan Bradley took the men’s 110m hurdles competition with a time of 14.13, after which Loreal Wilson claimed the women’s 400m hurdles with her 59.32. The Bears then swept the women’s and men’s 200m races, with Nairobi Smith (24.02w) and Aiden Lippert (21.21) each recording a PR.

Stanford’s women had already clinched the win prior to their victory in the 4x400m relay, while Cal’s men likewise had no need to worry about their point total by the time the final event rolled around. As the victorious home squad took its victory lap around the track, it paused – as always – by the open steeplechase pit.

“Riley! Riley! Riley!” the mob chanted, as a barefooted Riley Knott front-flipped over the hurdle into the water before chest-bumping fellow multi-eventer Seth Johnson.

The group wasn’t done: “Lamar! Lamar! Lamar!” it cried, sending shoeless distance runner Lamarr Kirk Jr. leaping feet-first to follow Knott.

Next: “DJ! DJ! DJ!” they called, as Bradley leisurely removed his overshirt before copying Kirk.

“Garrett! Garrett! Garrett!” MacQuiddy dropped his bucket hat and sunglasses but left his shoes on as he followed suit.

One more, a plea: “Myko! Myko! Myko!”

The final sounds of the 130th Big Meet were the Bears’ delighted shrieks as Alekna – jeans, shoes and all – launched himself backwards, followed by a mighty splash.

THE 130TH BIG MEET – MEN’S RESULTS

100m – 2. Avinash Schwarzkopf 10.67 (PR); 4. Aidan Orias 10.76; 5. Wazell Wright 10.81; 6. Jakobi Smith 11.17; 7. Aaron Yang 11.19

200m – 1. Aiden Lippert 21.21 (PR); 3. Avinash Schwarzkopf 21.28; 4. Jakobi Smith 22.54; 5. Aaron Yang 22.85; 6. Matt Gladney 22.89 (PR)

400m – 1. Johnny Goode 45.83 (Meet Record); 4. Owen Foley 50.89 (collegiate PR)

800m – 3. Justin Pretre 1:52.06; 4. Lamarr Kirk Jr. 1:52.81; 5. Gabriel Rodriguez 1:56.95

1500m – 1. Garrett MacQuiddy 3:44.42; 4. Rowan FitzGerald 3:48.05; 6. Caden Carney 3:49.80

3000m – 7. Justin Pretre 8:17.56 (PR); 10. Roalnd Ruckmann-Barnes 8:35.20; 11. Alexander Lodewick 8:38.63; 12. John Sesteaga 8:39.95; 13. Dylan Bissell 8:56.81; 14. Julian Doak 8:57.86

110m Hurdles – 1. Donovan Bradley 14.13; 2. Matt Gladney 14.96

400m Hurdles – 3. Donovan Bradley 53.37 (PR); 4. Daniel Chen 54.23; 5. Owen Foley 56.03 (PR); 6. Luke Tanguay 56.81

4x100m – 1. California 40.15 (Javon Hampton Jr., Johnny Goode, Wazell Wright, Trevor Rogers)

4x400m – 2. California 3:12.38 (Johnny Goode, Aiden Lippert, Avinash Schwarzkopf, Trevor Rogers)

3000m Steeplechase – 2. Antoine Moret 9:13.23

High Jump – 1. Riley Knott 2.05m/6-8.75; 2. Victor Ezike Jr. 2.05m/6-8.75 (=PR); 3. Brandon Cheeks II 1.90m/6-2.75

Pole Vault – 2. Parker Terrill 4.94m/16-2.5; 3. Will Siemens 4.94m/16-2.5; 4. Luke Millam 4.64m/15-2.75 (PR); 5. David Brok 4.49m/14-8.75; - Tyler Burns NH

Long Jump – 1. Jason Plumb 7.56m/24-9.75; 2. Trevor Rogers 7.42m/24-4.25 (collegiate PR); 4. Javon Hampton Jr. 7.27m/23-10.25; 5. Riley Knott 7.16m/23-6 (PR); 6. Brandon Cheeks II 6.93m/22-9; - Chukwunonso Udeh NM

Triple Jump – 1. Kosi Nwafor 15.32mw/50-3.25 (wind-aided PR); 2. Jeremiah Bolaños 15.27m/50-1.25 (PR)

Shot Put – 2. Nick Godbehere 18.25m/49-10.5; 3. Nik Iwankiw 17.03m/55-10.5

Discus – 1. Mykolas Alekna 71.29m/233-10 (Meet Record); 2. Jared Freeman 59.77m/196-1 (PR, 10th Cal History); 4. Charlie Dang 50.91m/167-0; 5. Nick Godbehere 49.27m/161-7; 6. Nik Iwankiw 49.08m/161-0

Hammer – 1. Jared Freeman 65.77m/215-9; 2. Kai Burich 60.27m/197-9 (Cal PR); 3. Kai Barham 59.39m/194-10

Javelin – 1. Charlie Dang 59.65m/195-8; 2. Riley Knott 50.62m/166-1

THE 130TH BIG MEET – WOMEN’S RESULTS

100m – 5. Masina Mayo 12.07 (PR); 6. Saqqara Ruffin 12.13; 7. Mari Testa 12.14; 8. Jaymie Ruskovich 12.20; 9. Fallyn Gowans 12.40 (PR)

200m – 1. Nairobi Smith 24.02w (wind-aided PR); 3. Masina Mayo 24.48w (wind-aided PR); 4. Jaymie Ruskovich 24.53w; 6. Jade Neser 26.36 (PR)

400m – 5. Nairobi Smith 57.12

800m – 2. Jayden Hill 2:07.71 (PR); 6. Carolina Dawson 2:13.50; 7. Zoe Lahanas 2:18.95

1500m – 7. Georgia McCorkle 4:37.32

3000m – 4. Sophie Tau 9:40.98 (PR); 5. Amelia Wardle-Stacey 9:45.26 (PR); - Georgia McCorkle DNF

100m Hurdles – 1. Asjah Atkinson 13.44; 2. Saqqara Ruffin 13.45 (PR, 7th Cal History); 3. Mari Testa 13.54 (PR, 8th Cal History); 5. Torre Anderson 14.49 (wind-legal PR)

400m Hurdles – 1. Loreal Wilson 59.32; 4. Jaya Westby 1:04.39

4x100m – 2. California 45.87 (Masina Mayo, Jaymie Ruskovich, Mari Testa, Asjah Atkinson)

4x400m – 2. California 3:51.74 (Wilson, Hill, Smith, Westby)

High Jump – 2. Jade Neser 1.70m/5-7 (PR); T3. Adriana Ellard 1.60m/5-3; T3. Ashantie Elie 1.60m/5-3; - NH Mara Lampsas

Pole Vault – 1. Ali Sahaida 4.30m/14-1.25 (PR, Tied-2nd Cal History)

Long Jump – 4. Yuki Hamachi 5.78m/18-11.75 (Cal PR); 5. Ashanti Elie 5.74m/18-10 (PR); 7. Jade Neser 5.31m/17-5.25; 8. Leah Anderson 5.01m/16-5.25

Triple Jump – 1. Myla Canty 12.95m/42-6; 2. Leah Anderson 12.42m/40-9 (Cal PR)

Shot Put – 1. Lucija Leko 16.53m/54-2.75; 3. Giavonna Meeks 15.46m/50-8.75 (Cal PR, 9th Cal History); 4. Caisa-Marie Lindfors 14.90m/48-10.75

Discus – 1. Caisa-Marie Lindfors 61.52m/201-10 (Meet Record); 2. Lucija Leko 54.24m/177-11; 4. Amanda Spear 47.27m/155-1 (Cal PR); 5. Adrianna Coleman 46.78m/13-5; 6. Giavonna Meeks 43.25m/141-10 (Cal PR)

Hammer – 1. Valentina Savva 69.03m/226-5; 2. Giavonna Meeks 64.28m/210-10; 3. Audrey Jacobs 63.54m/208-5; 4. Amanda Spear 59.34m/194-8; 4. Adrianna Coleman 58.47m/191-10; 6. Angie Schykerynec 53.04m/174-0

Javelin – 1. Torre Anderson 34.78m/114-1 (PR); 2. Yuki Hamachi 30.87m/101-3; 3. Adriana Ellard 30.67m/100-7

UP NEXT
Cal will have next weekend off before heading to Winston-Salem, N.C. for the ACC Outdoor Championships on May 15-17.