Saturday, May 11, 2013

MONMOUTH, Ore. -  Ali Worthen of Seattle Pacific tied a GNAC record and also set a meet record in winning the women's long jump with a leap of 19-8 Friday in the opening day of the GNAC Track and Field Championship meet at McArthur Stadium.

Worthen, who also won the event in 2011, equaled the GNAC record set by Stephanie Huffman of Seattle Pacific in 2002.  She broke the meet record of 19-1 ½ set by Emily Warman of Western Washington last season.

Also setting a meet record was Ruth Keino of Alaska Anchorage in the 10,000.  Her winning time of 36:02.00, eclipsed the old record of 36:16.89 by Lauren Breihof of Western Washington in 2010. Keino won the event for the second year in a row.

Sam Washington of Saint Martin’s, who won the shot in 2008 and again last season, earned his third title in the event with a put of 55-3, just 5 ¼ inches off the meet record and ¾ longer than his 2012 winning mark.

Meanwhile, three women - Susan Tanui of Alaska Anchorage, Jade Richardson of Simon Fraser and Amanda Schumaker of Western Oregon - all successfully defended their titles in the opening day of the GNAC Track and Field Championship meet.

Tanui won the women’s steeplechase for the second year in a row in a time of 10:41.88, while Richardson repeated in the women’s discus with a throw of 141-1.  Schumaker won her second straight javelin title with a throw of  153-6.

Also winning a women’s title Friday were Cheyanna Pinley of Western Washington in the pole vault.

First-day men’s winners included  Brady Beagley of Western Oregon in the steeplechase, Yonatan Yilma of Alaska Anchorage in the 10,000, Bryan Mack of Central Washington in the long jump, Brett Watson of Western Washington in the high jump and Troy Martin of Central Washington in the discus.

In prelim events, GNAC athletes set four meet records Friday.

Rimar Christie of Northwest Nazarene set a new mark in the men's 200 meters with a time of 21.32, breaking the old mark of 21.36 set by Anthony Wright of Central Washington in 2010.

Grace Morgan sset a new mark in the women's 200 with a time of 24.30, breaking her own 2012 record of 24.61.  Helen Crofts of Simon Fraser broke her 2011 record of 55.25 in posting a prelim time of 54.86 in the 400.

Haleigh Lloyd also established a meet record in the 400 hurdles with a prelim time of 1:00.54, snapping the old record of 1:01.78 by Heidi Dimmitt of Western Washington in 2008.