STANFORD, CALIFORNIA, April 03–04 — The talk about what Jane Hedengren would do in her debut over 10,000m started immediately after meet management posted the entries for the Stanford Invitational, which has traditionally been a distance-heavy meet.
The question was how the BYU frosh, who won the NCAA indoor titles at 3000 and 5000 just 3 weeks beforehand, but had never raced a 10, would approach it: A) run hard enough to get a NCAA Regional top-48 time; B) serve as a pacer for teammate Jenna Hutchins, who ran 32:22.98 at last year’s Bryan Clay meet, or C) actually race the distance?
Hedengren, along with defending NCAA 5/10 champion Pamela Kosgei of New Mexico, broke Parker Valby’s Collegiate Record of 30:50.43, set two years ago, with Hedengren getting to the line first in 30:46.80, and Kosgei 2nd at 30:49.99.
Once the gun went off to start the 25-lap race shortly before 9 pm on Good Friday, it became obvious to the fans at Stanford’s Cobb Track & Angell Field that Hedengren was going for it.
Kosgei went to the front almost immediately, with Hedengren in tow.
By the time the duo reached 3200m in 9:57.55, they had established a gap of nearly 15 seconds over the chase group of 6, which included eventual 3rd-placer Edna Chelulei of Eastern Kentucky.
Kosgei and Hedengren took turns leading. They passed halfway in about 15:33, a commitment to pace the Cougar frosh said afterwards was a major factor in both dipping under the CR. Valby had split 15:30.1 in her record.
After running a series of 74–75 laps after 5000, the pace began ramping up at the 21:00 mark when Hedengren threw in a 73-second lap. The two kept alternating the lead, even after Hedengren dropped a high 71 lap four circuits from home.
After a series of laps around 72, Kosgei took the lead with 800 to go. However, Hedengren answered with a final 400 of 66.12 to Kosgei’s 69.54 to take the win and the CR.
Chelulei was 3rd in 31:33.57, with North Dakota’s Jadyn Keeler 4th in 31:33.57, and Hutchins 5th in 32:01.02. Chelulei’s mark moves her to No. 7 all-time collegiate performer.
Hedengren gave kudos to Kosgei for her role in toppling the CR, saying afterwards that, “It felt like we were at practice for the first 3 or 4 miles or so, trading off pacing duties.”
The men’s 10,000 was just as exciting, with New Mexico’s Habtom Samuel, who 3 weeks ago won the NCAA Indoor 5000 crown, taking the victory in a meet record 27:30.51 over Oklahoma State’s Denis Kipngetich’s 27:38.36 and defending Stanford Invitational champion Evans Kurui of Washington State’s 27:48.06.
Samuel moved out with 3 laps to run and covered the last 800 in 2:00.87 and final lap in 59.80.
NCAA indoor mile champion Carter Cutting of BYU was a surprise entry in the 10,000, especially considering that in the morning session, he won his heat of the 1500 in 3:41.32, when even the PA announcer thought that he was in it to pace two BYU teammates.
Cutting was indeed serving as the pacemaker in the 10K. He led the field through 3600 in 10:05.37, before stepping off the track.
The trio of Samuel, Kipngetich, and Kurui went through 5000 in about 14:03, with defending champion Kurui doing most of the frontrunning, and Samuel and Kipngetich content to sit a step or two behind.
Shortly before 8K, Samuel and Kipngetich dropped Kurui with a series of 63- and 64-second laps. Samuel then threw down a 62.62 with three laps to go to drop Kipngetich, then closed with circuits of 61.08 and 59.80 (2:00.87 for the last 800) to punctuate the victory that broke Kurui’s MR of 27:37.32.
Beyond Hedengren’s CR, it was a good evening for BYU’s women’s distance crew, as Taylor Lovell won the 5000 in 15:15.46, and Carmen Alder took the 1500 in 4:08.56. Raygan Diamond won the steeple in 9:55.03.
Stanford’s Mena Scatchard won the 800 in 2:00.50.
Oregon’s Simeon Birnbaum won the men’s 5000 in an outdoor collegiate-leading 13:19.73. He bided his time until 500 remained and closed with a 56.47 last lap and crisp final 200. Matan Ivri of Wisconsin won the 1500 in 3:38.15. Colorado’s Kole Mathison won the steeple in 8:32.42.
Outside the distance realm, Washington’s Alex Rhodes won the men’s 400 in 45.22, while Cal Poly’s Travis Martin threw the hammer 242-2 (73.82).
Stanford’s Alyssa Jones rode a 2.4mps wind to take the women’s long jump at 22-5 (6.83).
STANFORD INVITATIONAL RESULTS
MEN
400: 1. *Alexander Rhodes (Wa) 45.22.
St: 1. *Kole Mathison (Co) 8:32.42; 2. Ryker Holtzen (Wy) 8:34.06; 3. *Luke Knepp (Ia) 8:34.97; 4. Abdulsalam Farah’ (Som) 8:35.89; 5. Joe Waskom (adidas) 8:37.10; 6. Rob McManus (MtSt) 8:37.46.
5000: 1. *Simeon Birnbaum (Or) 13:19.73 (out CL) (56.47); 2. **Geoffrey Kirwa’ (Louis-Ken) 13:21.49; 3. ***Nick Busienei’ (Ar-Ken) 13:21.80; 4. Ben Shearer (Ar) 13:21.99; 5. Colin Sahlman (NnAz) 13:23.12; 6. *Brian Musau’ (OkSt-Ken) 13:23.86; 7. **Justine Kipkoech’ (Co-Ken) 13:24.80; 8. *Leo Young (Stan) 13:24.84.
10,000: 1. *Habtom Samuel’ (NM-Eri) 27:30.51 (CL);
2. *Denis Kipngetich’ (OkSt-Ken) 27:38.36; 3. **Evans Kurui’ (WaSt-Ken) 27:48.06; 4. Sanele Masondo’ (IaSt-SA) 27:54.77; 5. **Nickson Kogei’ (Cinc-Ken) 27:56.68; 6. Evan Burke’ (Or-Can) 27:57.04; 7. Evan Bishop (Or) 27:57.98; 8. *Adisu Guadia’ (OkSt-Isr) 27:59.23; 9. Jayden Nats (AF) 27:59.31; 10. *Evans Kiplagat’ (NM-Ken) 27:59.71.
PV: 1. *Shane Bagley (FresP) 18-4½ (5.60); 2. Logan Hammer (UtSt) 18-½ (5.50).
HT: 1. Travis Martin (SLO) 242-2 (73.82).
JT: 1. *Riley Marx (KsSt) 243-7 (74.24).
WOMEN
800: I–1. Juliette Whittaker (Stan) 2:01.50.
II–1. Mena Scatchard’ (Stan-GB) 2:00.50; 2. Avery Pearson’ (Co-Can) 2:01.46.
1500: 1. Carmen Alder’ (BYU-Ecu) 4:08.56.
St: I–1. *Raygan Dimond (BYU) 9:55.03; 2. **Caroline Jepkorir’ (WaSt-Ken) 9:59.08; 3. **Constanze Paoli’ (Id-Ger) 10:00.58; 4. Catherine Garrison (CoSt) 10:03.94; 5. Arian Chia’ (Mex) 10:05.42.
II–1. **Sara Morefield (Tulsa) 10:00.34.
5000: 1. *Taylor Lovell (BYU) 15:15.46; 2. *Hayley Burns (NnAz) 15:18.26; 3. **Marion Jepngetich’ (NM-Ken) 15:23.68.
10,000: 1. ***Jane Hedengren (BYU) 30:46.80 CR (old CR 30:50.43 Parker Valby [Fl] ’24) (WL, AL) (7, x A);
(75.02, 76.58 [2:31.60], 74.60 [3:46.20], 74.25 [5:00.45], 73.92 [6:14.37], 74.99 [7:29.36], 74.52 [8:43.88], 73.88 [9:57.76], 74.82 [11:12.58], 73.77 [12:26.35], 75.43 [13:41.78], 74.74 [14:56.52], 73.69 [16:10.21], 74.77 [17:24.98], 74.22 [18:39.20], 75.15 [19:54.35], 73.52 [21:07.87], 73.83 [22:21.70], 75.35 [23:37.05], 73.12 [24:50.17], 72.80 [26:02.97], 71.77 [27:14.74], 73.65 [28:28.39], 72.30 [29:40.69], 66.11) (66.11, 2:18.41, 4:43.83);
2. **Pamela Kosgei’ (NM-Ken) 30:49.99 (2, 2 C) (74.92, 77.10 [2:32.02], 74.19 [3:46.21], 74.51 [5:00.72], 73.85 [6:14.57], 75.24 [7:29.81], 74.17 [8:43.98], 73.57 [9:57.55], 74.66 [11:12.21], 73.90 [12:26.11], 75.34 [13:41.45], 75.38 [14:56.83], 73.69 [16:10.52], 74.79 [17:25.31], 74.08 [18:39.39], 73.98 [19:53.37], 74.88 [21:08.25], 2:29.11 [23:37.36], 73.04 [24:50.40], 72.84 [26:03.24], 72.79 [27:16.03], 72.02 [28:28.05], 72.40 [29:40.45], 69.54) (69.54, 2:21.94, 4:46.75);
3. **Edna Chelulei’ (EnKy-Ken) 31:33.57 (7, 10 C);
4. Jadyn Keeler’ (ND-Can) 31:56.03; 5. Jenna Hutchins (BYU) 32:01.02; 6. **Diana Cherotich’ (Or-Ken) 32:19.06; 7. Chloe Thomas’ (Wa-Can) 32:19.59; 8. Morgan Nokes (UtV) 32:20.03; 9. **Logan Hofstee (Gonz) 32:21.15; 10. Ali Upshaw (NnAz) 32:22.42; 11. *Abbey Nechanicky (Co) 32:23.93; 12. Jenna Ramsey-Rutledge (CSM) 32:24.23.
400H: 1. Tess Stapleton (Stan) 57.17.
4 x 400: 1. Montana State 3:33.61.
LJ: 1. Alyssa Jones (Stan) 22-5w (6.83) (22-4¼/6.81).
TJ: 1. **Cassandra Atkins (Or) 43-11¼ (13.39); 2. ***Destini Smith (KsSt) 42-9 (13.03).
SP: 1. *Sydney Brewster (MtSt) 55-9¼ (17.00).
DT: 1. **Emma Sralla’ (Stan-Swe) 182-0 (55.48).
HT: 1. Rachel Neaves (OkSt) 202-4 (61.67).
JT: 1. *Ashley Schroeder (Wa) 175-10 (53.61); 2. *Saydi Orange (Wa) 173-8 (52.93); 3. Maryann Ackerman (OrSt) 170-5 (51.95).
