EUGENE, OREGON, May 16–18 — If Oregon was going to defend its home turf during its first Big 10 Championship as one of four new west coast members (‘Big 18,’ anyone?), it was always going to be on the strength of its distance runners — even if they have sported a pretty balanced program over the years.
After this past weekend, the new face of that group is assuredly Simeon Birnbaum. Before the meet began, the soph said, “I don’t want to see a non-Oregon athlete win at Hayward Field. So if I can prevent that, I’m going to try and do my best.”
Birnbaum could not prevent it in the 1500, as Wisconsin’s Adam Spencer (3:53.18) and Washington’s Nathan Green (3:53.25) edged his 3:53.38 in a very tactical race. But about 100 minutes later, he stepped on the oval for his first-ever track 5000, knowing the pace would be more honest due to some athletes shooting for NCAA qualifiers, and hoping he’d have enough left to launch a kick that no one could match.
Entering the final circuit, Birnbaum, T&FN’s ’23 Boys High School AOY, found that, indeed, there was plenty of life remaining in his legs. “I was like, all right, it’s time to put on a show,” he said. In the final 50 meters of the 56.20 closer, as it was apparent that none of the chasing Wisconsin quartet could quite surpass him, he started waving the crowd to his feet. Past the finish, he shook his head triumphantly, sending his signature shades flying off his head, and then headed to the stands for hand slaps, fist-bumps and hugs with teammates, friends and the appreciative fans.
Birnbaum had not only won his first track 5K, he’d set a meet record, 13:31.87.
“I got outkicked in that 1500,” he added later, “so I got really fired up and ready to go for this race.” He added that he had noted the Ducks were in position to close out the team title. “So I was like, I can really just put this away in this 5K… go out there and ice this meet for us.”
As strong as the Ducks prospects seemed to be between 800 and 10000, most folks didn’t expect them to squeeze 68 points out of those five events. A massive 39 of those came in Friday’s 10,000 – where Oregon went 2-3-4-6-8 – and Saturday’s steeple, where Benjamin Balazs (8:40.93) and Sergio Bel Barrios (8:42.67) finished 1-3.
The hosts also scored in six field events and the decathlon, entering the final day with 65 points and staying on top to the end.
Meanwhile, top-ranked USC — leading the T&FN formchart after winning the NCAA indoor crown — entered Sunday in 14th place with just 7 points, but its sprinters, hurdlers and jumpers figured to rally the Trojans into contention. However, Garrett Kaalund, the versatile speedster with 9.93w/20.05/44.73 PRs and a strong chance to win (or score very high) in the 100 and 200, scratched both. Also, defending NCAA long jump champ (and indoor 60 champ) JC Stevenson didn’t make the final in that event and 110H favorite Johnny Brackins was just 3rd in that event and 8th in the 400H.
And finally, triple jumper Jaren Holmes had four leaps better than anyone else and a 2-foot margin on the field with his meet record 53-1¾ (16.20), only to get DQed afterward due to wearing illegal spikes. It was that kind of a finale for the men of Troy.
Still, USC scored 78 points for 4th, just three points out of 2nd, led by 400 winner William Jones at 45.39, 400H champ Yougendy Mauricette at 49.94 and a combined 25 points from Eddie Nketia and Max Thomas in the 100 and 200. But the tone of the day was set for the Trojans when they finished runner-up behind Minnesota’s stunning 38.54 meet record upset win in the 4×1.
The meet on the men’s side was remarkably void of the highest level marks – somewhat attributable to temperatures at Hayward in the 50s and tactical distance races. There were no new collegiate leaders and no new all-time top 10 marks. Minnesota’s Greek duo of Angelos Mantzouranis and Kostas Zaltos already ranked No. 3 and No. 9 on the all-time collegiate hammer list from earlier this season and, while they weren’t able to improve on their PRs in Eugene, Zaltos took the B1G title over his teammate 254-10 (77.67) to 246-5 (75.11).
That was the beginning of a strong weekend for the Gophers that saw them tie for 2nd with Wisconsin with 81 points. Minnesota soph long jumper Charles Godfred had only two fair jumps, but won by more than a foot with his 26-5 (8.05). The aforementioned 4×1 triumph was huge for them, too, of course. Anchor Devin Augustine was also 3rd in the 200 and 7th in the 100.
The Badgers were led by their distance crew, including Spencer’s 1500 win and the 2-3-5-6 finish in the 5000 as runner-up Bob Liking bounced back from a 9th-place finish in the 10,000. Wisconsin also got a stunning, unexpected triumph from Giovanni Wearing in the 110H at 13.46 and a decisive victory from favorite Jason Swarens in the shot at 67-4¼ (20.53).
In the sprints, with USC’s efforts weakened by the loss of Kaalund, Iowa’s Kalen Walker scored a narrow surprise victory over the Trojans’ Nketia (10.17 to 10.18). Then Purdue’s Cameron Miller won his third straight 200 title, including undercover, in 20.31 (after a 20.12 prelim).
Illinois had two gold medalists in the field: Vaulter Cody Johnston at 18-6 (5.64) and triple jumper Viktor Morozov at 51-3 ½ (15.63), plus the champ in the decathlon as Rafael Raap won the discus, pole vault and javelin to move ahead and prevail with 7572 points. Nebraska also won twice beyond the oval, as Tyus Wilson reigned in the high jump at 7-3 (2.21) and Arthur Petersen took the javelin at 258-10 (78.91). The Huskers scored 68 of their 76 points off the track.
BIG 10 MEN’S RESULTS
Teams: 1. Oregon 110; 2. tie, Minnesota & Wisconsin 81; 4. USC 78; 5. Nebraska 76; 6. Washington 72; 7. Iowa 59; 8. tie, Illinois & Penn State 37; 10. Ohio State 33; 11. UCLA 32; 12. Michigan 31; 13. Indiana 29; 14. Purdue 22; 15. Rutgers 21; 16. Michigan State 15; 17. Maryland 3.
100(-0.6): 1. *Kalen Walker (Ia) 10.17; 2. **Eddie Nketia’ (USC-NZ) 10.18; 3. Trelee Banks (In) 10.26; 4. *Max Thomas (USC) 10.33; 4. ***Ajani Dwyer (PennSt) 10.34.
200(0.2): 1. *Cameron Miller (Pur) 20.31; 2. Thomas 20.40; 3. Devin Augustine’ (Mn-Tri) 20.47; 4. Banks 20.63.
400: 1. *William Jones (USC) 45.39; 2. *Jalen Williams (Wi) 45.61; 3. ***Edidiong Udo’ (OhSt-Ngr) 45.78; 4. ***Jake Palermo (PennSt) 46.04.
800: 1. *Allon Clay’ (PennSt-Jpn) 1:47.93; 2. Matti Erickson’ (Or-Can) 1:47.93; 3. *Handal Roban’ (PennSt-StV) 1:48.05; 4. Kyle Reinheimer (Wa) 1:48.51.
1500: 1. Adam Spencer’ (Wi-Aus) 3:53.18; 2. *Nathan Green (Wa) 3:53.25; 3. **Simeon Birnbaum (Or) 3:53.38; 4. **Trent McFarland (Mi) 3:53.82.
St: 1. **Benjamin Balazs’ (Or-Hun) 8:40.93; 2. *Caleb Jarema (Mi) 8:42.53; 3. ***Sergio Del Barrio (Or) 8:42.67; 4. Andrew Nolan (MiSt) 8:42.88.
5000: 1. Birnbaum 13:31.87; 2. Bob Liking (Wi) 13:32.47; 3. ***Matan Ivri’ (Wi-Isr) 13:33.79; 4. **Riley Hough (MiSt) 13:34.19; 5. Rowen Ellenberg (Wi) 13:35.61; 6. ***Christian de Vaal’ (Wi-NZ) 13:35.97; 7. *Abdel Laadjel’ (Or-Ire) 13:35.98.
10,000: 1. **Evan Jenkins (Wa) 29:24.48; 2. **Aiden Smith (Or) 29:24.65; 3. *Evan Bishop (Or) 29:25.13; 4. Evan Burke’ (Or-Can) 29:26.10.
110H(0.2): 1. *Giovanni Wearing (Wi) 13.46; 2. **Kai Graves-Blanks (Ia) 13.51; 3. Johnny Brackins (USC) 13.54; 4. Spencer Brown’ (Mn-Cro) 13.68.
400H: 1. **Yougendy Mauricette (USC) 49.94; 2. **Ahmed Khadar (Mn) 50.49; 3. *Zaire Waring (UCLA) 51.44; 4. ***Ambodai Ligons (Wa) 51.67.
4 x 100: 1. Minnesota 38.54; 2. USC 38.79; 3. Purdue 39.08; 4. Iowa 39.13; 5. Ohio State 39.64; 6. Indiana 39.79.
4 x 400: 1. Ohio State 3:04.08; 2. Iowa 3:04.63; 3. Penn State 3:05.02; 4. USC 3:06.32; 5. Minnesota 3:06.62.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Tyus Wilson (Nb) 7-3 (2.21); 2. tie, *Elias Gerald (USC) & Kamyren Garrett (Il) 7-¼ (2.14); 4. **Bode Gilkerson (Pur) 7-¼.
LJ: 1. **Charles Godfred’ (Mn-Ngr) 26-5 (8.05); 2. **DJ Fillmore (OhSt) 25-2½ (7.68); 3. *Kavian Kerr’ (Nb-Jam) 24-11 (7.59); 4. *Till Steinforth’ (Nb-Ger) 24-10½ (7.58).
TJ: 1. *Viktor Morozov’ (Il-Est) 51-3½ (15.63); 2. Safin Wills’ (Or-Jam) 51-2¼ (15.60); 3. Donovan Anderson (Rut) 51-1½ (15.58); 4. **Trevontay Smith (Wa) 50-11 (15.52).
SP: 1. Jason Swarens (Wi) 67-4¼ (20.53); 2. **Cade Moran (Nb) 65-3½ (19.90); 3. ***Kobe Lawrence’ (Or-Jam) 63-8¾ (19.42); 4. Maxwell Otterdahl (Nb) 62-11¼ (19.18).
DT: 1. *Michael Pinckney (UCLA) 197-2 (60.11); 2. Joseph White (Wi) 196-2 (59.80); 3. Otterdahl 193-11 (59.12); 4. Aidan Elbettar (Or) 191-1 (58.25).
HT: 1. Kostas Zaltos’ (Mn-Gre) 254-10 (77.67); 2. **Angelos Mantzouranis’ (Mn-Gre) 246-5 (75.11); 3. Kris Emig (UCLA) 229-9 (70.04); 4. **Ryan Johnson (Ia) 229-5 (69.94).
JT: 1. Arthur Petersen’ (Nb-Den) 258-10 (78.91); 2. *Mike Stein (Ia) 253-11 (77.41); 3. *Dash Sirmon (Nb) 248-7 (75.77); 4. *Keyshawn Strachan’ (Nb-Bah) 240-7 (73.34).
Dec: 1. *Rafael Raap’ (Il-Neth) 7572; 2. Jami Schlueter’ (Wa-GB) 7418; 3. **Garrett Messer (In) 7404; 4. ***Koby Kessler (Or) 7303.
