EUGENE, Ore. – The Oregon track and field teams picked up two wins Friday along with three top-10 UO performances including a school record by Jorinde Van Klinken in the discus. The Ducks’ wins came from Colleen Uzoekwe and Nathan Poff in the heptathlon and decathlon, respectively, at the Brutus Hamilton Multis in Berkeley, Calif.
Making her season debut at the Triton Invitational, Van Klinken ascended to the top of the program top-10 list with a day’s best of 67.05m/219-11 on her final attempt of the afternoon. The massive heave also doubles as the No. 3 performance in NCAA history. The two-time NCAA champion and collegiate-record holder in the event put together a series that included three measures over 65 meters.
Overall, Van Klinken finished second in the competition to Olympic champion Valarie Allman and ahead of 2019 world champion Yaime Perez Tellez of Spain. With Friday’s outing, Van Klinken posted the NCAA lead and No. 2 throw in the world.
Medford, Ore., native Jaida Ross made some history for herself Friday with a lifetime-best effort in the discus. She added more than five feet to her previous best with a toss of 57.63m/189-1 out of the first flight. Three of Ross’ throws Friday were beyond her old PB of 55.97m/183-7 from last season. Ross sits third in UO history in the event.
The Ducks’ third top-10 program effort came from Uzoekwe with her winning total of 5,349 points at the Brutus Hamilton meet. After the day’s top measure in the long jump, the Portland native followed with a lifetime best in the javelin and 800 meters. Uzoekwe ends the weekend with outdoor bests in five of the seven events: 200, 800, 100 hurdles, high jump and javelin.
Uzoekwe now ranks as the No. 10 performer in program history in the heptathlon. She led a 1-2 Oregon finish with teammate Gianna Bullock who totaled a lifetime-best score of 5,098 points. Bullock recorded a season best in the long jump to get started Friday and bookended the day with a new PB of 2:29.39 in the 800 meters. She also had personal bests in the 100 hurdles and shot put on Thursday.
The UO men registered a 1-2 finish, as well, with Poff and Arthur Katahdin in their first decathlon of the season. Poff finished the two-day, 10-event competition with 6,738 points with Katahdin in second with 6,548 points. Competing in just the second decathlon of his UO career, the Milwaukie, Ore., native had a season best in the pole vault and personal best in the javelin on…
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