Ross Ties Own Collegiate Record in Arizona

EUGENE, Ore. – Jaida Ross turned in a repeat performance Saturday, tying her own collegiate record in the shot put at the Desert Heat Classic in Tucson, Ariz. The Ducks posted six top-10 program marks on a busy day that saw the team competing across four meets. Along with Ross' showing in the shot, Shelby Moran improved on her own school record in the hammer.
 
Other changes to the Oregon top-10 lists came from PJ Ize-Iyamu in the 100 meters, Silan Ayyildiz in the 1500, Mason Strunk in the hammer and Moran—again—in the discus. Shana Grebo and Tomas Palfrey, competing at the OSU High Performance, joined Moran, Ross and Strunk as winners Saturday.
 
The Ducks also competed at Drake and Penn Relays to close out the penultimate weekend of the regular season.
 
Ross put together an all-time series Saturday in Tucson with four measures beyond 19 meters including a 19.71m/64-8 mark that tied her own collegiate record. She is now the third collegian with at least five throws of 19 meters or more, and the first with four within one competition. Ross first set the collegiate record April 6 at the Triton Invitational.
 
Moran, already the school-record holder, eclipsed that mark three times during Saturday's series at the Desert Heat Classic. The Sherwood, Ore., native unleashed a final measure of 70.02m/229-8 on her sixth attempt. Moran set the previous school record of 68.96m/226-3 on the way to winning the Pac-12 title last season. She had three throws beyond that Saturday.
 
In addition to the school record and win, Moran also hit the Olympic Trials standard of 70 meters. She is the third woman over 70 meters in the NCAA this season.
 
Following up her outing in the hammer, Moran added a runner-up finish and lifetime best in the discus. She got the implement out to 54.84m/179-11 on her third attempt and becomes the No. 6 performer in school history in the event.
 
Strunk threw his way to victory with a lifetime best of 69.11m/226-9 in the hammer, completing the UO sweep with Moran. Strunk led through the first two rounds, and momentarily fell to second behind Matt Ward of Colorado before recording a day's best on the final throw of the third round. With the effort, he goes from sixth to No. 3 on the program's all-time list.
 
The Salem, Ore., native carried a best of 67.72m/222-2 from the Beach Invitational (April 12). Including his new PB, Strunk had two measures during Saturday's series that surpassed his previous best.
 
Already part of the program's top 10 in the 100, Ize-Iyamu improved his standing in UO history with his lifetime best of 10.20 Saturday evening. He is now tied with Xavier Nairne as the No. 7 performer after taking down his previous best of 10.25 from last year's conference meet. The Pasadena, Calif., native is currently ranked fifth in the Pac-12 based on times entering the day.
 
Overall, Ize-Iyamu was third in both the 100 and 200 meters. In the latter, he clocked another personal best with his 20.70 performance. In both cases, he won his section of the timed final and only passed by two runners in the ensuing section.
 
Grebo secured the Ducks' first win on the track in the desert with the help of a season-best and Pac-12-leading time of 56.33 in the 400-meter hurdles. In her opener last weekend, she ran a time of 56.71 at the Mt. SAC Relays. Grebo's outing Saturday is the second fastest of her career, trailing only her school record (56.28).
 
In her first appearance Saturday, Grebo combined with Lily Jones, Jadyn Mays and Alexa Rossum to run a season's best 43.16 in the 4x100 relay. The quartet took nearly half a second off their previous best of 43.63 from Mt. SAC. The Ducks finished second in the race.
 
Individually, Mays and Jones were second and fifth, respectively in the 100 meters. Mays ran a season's best of 11.17, just shy of her personal best (11.16) from the 2022 Desert Heat meet. The UO senior has an all-conditions best of 11.09 (+2.2) from last year. Jones lowered her best from 11.46 to 11.35 running out of section six of eight.
 
The Oregon women tallied one last season's best with their effort in the 4x400-meter relay. Grebo, Ella Clayton, Katriina Wright and Shaniya Hall teamed up for a 3:32.96, and a second-place finish in the final event of the night.
 
The Ducks' busy day got started in Philadelphia where the Men of Oregon were runners-up in the 4x800, matching their highest ever finish in the race at Penn Relays. James Harding, Rheinhardt Harrison, Elliott Cook and Matthew Erickson combined for a time of 7:15.46, good for the fastest by a UO quartet at the storied meet.
 
In 2010, the team of Travis Stanford, Mac Fleet, Elijah Greer and Andrew Wheating ran 7:15.55, also in a second-place effort. The UO men were also second in the Penn Relays 4x800 in 2012.
 
Ayyildiz recorded a lifetime best at 1500 meters for a second-consecutive outing, crossing the finish line in 4:09.34 at Drake Relays. With the performance, she moves from ninth to No. 8 on the UO all-time list, and becomes the third Oregon woman under 4:10 this season, joining Klaudia Kazimierska (4:08.43) and Maddy Elmore (4:09.36).
 
Saturday's race was contested as part of the World Athletics Continental Tour. Ayyildiz and Kazimierska finished third and fifth, respectively, as the only collegians in the field.
 
After running a 4:02 mile at last week's Oregon Relay, Palfrey officially began his outdoor season with a 1:49.36 over 800 meters at the OSU High Performance. He took the lead with just over 250 meters to go and pulled away from the field down the home stretch. Luke Affolder (1:51.26) finished fourth in his first collegiate 800.
 
Up Next: The Ducks are back at Hayward Field to host the Oregon Twilight (May 3) in the regular-season finale. The UO senior class will be recognized at approximately 6:30 p.m. before the start of the evening session. Visit GoDucks.com for ticket information.
 
Saturday Results
Desert Heat Classic (Tucson, Ariz.)
MEN
100 Meters
3. PJ Ize-Iyamu – 10.20 (PB) [=No. 7 UO]
17. Rodrick Pleasant – 10.38 (=SB)
 
200 Meters
3. PJ Ize-Iyamu – 20.70 (PB)
 
110m Hurdles
11. Anthony Trucks – 14.08 (PB)
22. Arthur Katahdin – 15.20 (PB)
 
4x100m Relay
8. Anthony Trucks – Rodrick Pleasant – Jack Normand – PJ Ize-Iyamu – 39.76
 
High Jump
T3. Osawese Agbonkonkon – 2.10m/6-10.75
 
Pole Vault
T2. Harrison Canfield – 5.17m/16-11.5 (PB)
T14. Hunter Angove – 4.87m/15-11.75 (SB)
T18. Arthur Katahdin – 4.57m/15-0
 
Triple Jump
6. Jack Normand – 14.37m/47-1.75
 
Hammer
1. Mason Strunk – 69.11m/226-9 (PB) [No. 3 UO]
 
Javelin
9. Zach Young – 61.09m/200-5
12. Gavin Korkeakoski – 57.88m/189-10
13. Asher Krauel – 57.21m/187-8 (SB)
 
WOMEN
100 Meters
2. Jadyn Mays – 11.17 (SB)
5. Lily Jones – 11.35 (PB)
19. Alexa Rossum – 11.68 (SB)
34. Brazil Neal – 11.88 (SB)
 
200 Meters
15. Lily Jones – 23.80 (PB)
21. Alexa Rossum – 23.95
24. Shaniya Hall – 24.14
32. Brazil Neal – 24.40
35. Lakely Doht-Barron – 24.51
 
400 Meters
3. Ella Clayton – 53.16
14. Lakely Doht-Barron – 54.78
 
100m Hurdles
17. Gianna Bullock – 14.05 (PB)
28. Madyson Kannon – 14.69
29. Annika Williams – 14.82
 
400m Hurdles
1. Shana Grebo – 56.33 (SB)
23. Madyson Kannon – 1:02.26
 
4x100m Relay
2. Lily Jones – Jadyn Mays – Shana Grebo – Alexa Rossum – 43.16 (SB)
 
4x400m Relay
2. Shana Grebo – Ella Clayton – Katriina Wright – Shaniya Hall – 3:32.96 (SB)
 
High Jump
T6. Cheyla Scott – 1.75m/5-8.75 (=SB)
 
Pole Vault
T16. Isabella Nilsen – 3.82m/12-6.25
--. Emily Fitzsimmons – NH
 
Long Jump
16. Gianna Bullock – 5.65m/18-6.5 (SB)
 
Shot Put
1. Jaida Ross – 19.71m/64-8 [=CR*]
 
Discus
2. Shelby Moran – 54.84m/179-11 (PB) [No. 6]
 
Hammer
1. Shelby Moran – 70.02m/229-8 (SB) [No. 1 UO*]
 
Javelin
3. Kohana Nakato – 50.80m/166-8
 
Drake Relays (Des Moines, Iowa)
WOMEN
1500 Meters – World Athletics Continental Tour
3. Silan Ayyildiz – 4:09.34 (PB) [No. 8 UO]
5. Klaudia Kazimierska – 4:10.71
 
OSU High Performance (Corvallis, Ore.)
MEN
400 Meters
6. Fuad Omer – 49.27 (SB)
9. Kojo Manu – 49.87
 
800 Meters – invitational
1. Tomas Palfrey – 1:49.36
4. Luke Affolder – 1:51.26
 
WOMEN
Shot Put
4. Colleen Uzoekwe – 13.45m/44-1.5
 
Penn Relays (Philadelphia, Pa.)
MEN
4x800m Relay
2. James Harding – Rheinhardt Harrison – Elliott Cook – Matthew Erickson – 7:15.46
 
For more news and information about Oregon cross country and track and field, follow @OregonTF on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.