Full Results
EUGENE, Ore. – The Illinois men’s and women’s track and field teams finished the first day of the Big Ten Outdoor Championships on Friday (May 16) from Hayward Field. Cody Johnston became the first Illini man in 31 years to top the Big Ten Outdoor Championships pole vault podium clearing a meet and school record, 5.64m (18-6). He’s the program’s 10th vaulter to earn gold in the pole vault and brings home the program’s 13th individual B1G title.
He cleared his fourth bar of 5.49m (18-0) on his first attempt with ease and moved up to 5.54m (18-2) clearing on his second attempt. 5.59m (18-4) was also no problem for him at all clearing on his first try which set the stage for his new PR of 5.64m. It was Johnston’s day in Eugene as he barely grazed the bar on his first jump, but it stayed up and he became Illinois’ first champion in the event since Darren McDonough in 1994. 5.64m is also the third-best vault in the country for the 2025 season.
Phethisang Makhethe walked away with a silver medal in the women’s hammer throw with a South African national record 68.66m (225-3). Her mark is the second best in program history and the sixth best in the country for the 2025 season.
Sophia Beckmon and Halle Hill both qualified to Sunday’s finals in their respective races. Hill got second in her 1500m heat to earn the automatic bid (4:20.49) while Beckmon snared the final 200m qualifying spot with a time of 23.39.
Javaris Ambrose threw the program’s fourth-best hammer throw in his 14th-place finish, 62.99m (206-8), while Faith Deering threw the program’s fifth-best hammer throw in her 10th-place finish, 59.90m (196-6).
The combined events crew completed the first haves of their heptathlon and decathlon today. Melissa Wullschleger currently sits at second in the heptathlon with 3,536 points highlighted by a strong start with a win in the 100m hurdles. Lucie Kienast resides in fourth place with 3,461 points highlighted by her fourth-place finish in the high jump. Rafael Raap is sixth in the decathlon with 3,808 points and his highest finish of the day was second in the shot put.
CHAMPION QUOTES
On his first Big Ten title…
“It feels great, it’s a relief. I expected to win it (my) freshman year indoor and outdoor, but I didn’t come through, so I am happy I came through today.”
On what made the…
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