McClain Wins the 10K Friday Night at Hayward

EUGENE, Ore. – With an eye on securing a regional standard, the UO distance crew took center stage on the opening night of the Oregon Preview at Hayward Field. In the first event of the home season, Harper McClain won the women’s 10,000 meters to lead a trio of Oregon runners under 34 minutes. For the UO men, Abdinasir Hussein dipped below 29 minutes and finished in third place.
 
Day two of the Oregon Preview gets started at 11 a.m. (PT) with the men’s javelin, scheduled to feature reigning Pac-12 champion and North Bend, Ore., native Ty Hampton. Competition on the track begins at 1:45 p.m. with the 2,000-meter steeplechase, and runs through approximately 7 p.m. at the conclusion of the 4×400-meter relays.
 
McClain, running in the first 10K of her collegiate career, stopped the clock in 33:44.62 to take the win. She was followed by teammates Maddy Elmore (33:51.49) and Anika Thompson (33:51.70) in third and fourth, respectively. Among the Ducks’ entries in the race, Thompson was the only one with a previous 10K under her belt. She took more than a minute off her previous best of 34:57.60 from last year’s OSU High Performance.
 
Melissa Berry just missed on a sub-34:00 performance with her time of 34:04.92 in Friday’s race.
 
The moving target of NCAA West qualifying saw last year’s cut-off time at 34:23.08 in the women’s 10K.
 
The men’s race came down the trio of Hussein, Boise State’s Mohammed Jouhari and UO freshman Josh Edwards who was competing unattached. Hussein’s time of 28:57.08 puts him inside last year’s regional qualifier (29:02.56) in his first race of the season. Friday marked his first 10,000 meters on the track.
 
Jouhari was first in 28:51.72, followed by Edwards in 29:52.99 as the top two in the race. Ducks’ Caleb Brown (29:26.20) and Quincy Norman (29:56.42) finished fifth and 10^th, respectively.

Not based on a set standard, the top 48 declared individuals—and 24 relays—in each event qualify for the NCAA West Preliminary (May 24-27) in Sacramento, Calif.

 

FRIDAY RESULTS

Oregon Preview (Eugene, Ore.)

MEN

10,000 Meters

3. Abdinasir Hussein – 28:57.08

5. Caleb Brown – 29:26.20

10. Quincy Norman – 29:56.42 (PB)

–. Alex Slenning – DNF (pacing)

–. Cameron Stein – DNF

 

WOMEN

10,000 Meters

1. Harper McClain – 33:44.62

3. Maddy Elmore – 33:51.49

4. Anika Thompson – 33:51.70 (PB)

5. Melissa Berry – 34:04.92

6. Malia Pivec – 35:03.30

7. Izzy Thornton-Bott – 35:03.30…