Jenny Barringer en route to her US collegiate record at Stanford (© Kirby Lee)
Jenny Barringer added another collegiate record in the women’s 5000m in the Payton Jordan Invitational at Stanford University’s Cobb Track & Angell Field on Saturday (2).
The University of Colorado senior and 2008 Olympian clocked 15:07.64 in the 5000m for her fifth NCAA record in the past year.
The Beijing Olympic Steeplechase finallist also holds the American and collegiate record of 9:22.26 in that event as well as NCAA marks in the indoor mile (4:25.91), Indoor 3000m (8:42.03) and the Indoor 5000m (15:01.70).
Saturday’s race run under calm and cool conditions was a solo effort for Barringer, who dipped under the five-year-old record of 15:09.72 set by New Zealander and Providence University alum Kim Smith at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays on 16 April 2004.
Sub-15 ambitions gutted early on
Barringer, who had clocked a then-world leading 4:08.38 in the 1500m in Eugene, Ore. on 24 April, had hoped to run under 15 minutes but fell off the pace in the first 1000m.
“I am used to running PRs,” Barringer said. “Yeah, I am disappointed. I have expectations and I was hoping for something better.”
Barringer’s time also eclipsed the Shannon Rowbury's early world leading mark of 15:12.95 set at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational across the bay in Berkeley eight days ago.
Although the Steeplechase is Barringer’s specialty, an event in which she is the defending NCAA champion, her development in the 5000m has raised thoughts about the possibility of running it in the USA Championships to earn a spot on the U.S. World Championships team for Berlin.
“If I can run 15:07 alone, I think I can run with anyone competing for a spot,” Barringer said.
World Leader for Anderson in Women’s Steeplechase and Willard in the 1500m
Barringer’s mark in the 5000m was one of there world leading marks along with Lindsey Anderson in the Women’s 3000m Steeplechase in 9:35.30 and Anna Willard in the women’s 1500m at 4:06.90.
In the women’s Steeplechase, the top four runners ran under Anderson’s previous global leading mark of 9:45.56 run at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays on 16 April.
Nicole Bush of Michigan State was second in 9:39.38. Stanford alumnus Lindsay Anderson was third in 9:40.83 to break 10 minutes for the first time and Bridget Franek of Penn State was fourth in 9:43.57.
In the 1500m, Willard, a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic team in the Steeplechase, turned back the NCAA 1500m champion, Florida State's Dutchwoman Susan Kuijken, who clocked 4:08.90. Sara Hall was third in 4:09.69.
American Junior 5000m Record for Derrick
Stanford freshman Chris Derrick edged out 2009 World Junior Cross Country Championships teammate German Fernandez to set an American junior record of 13:29.98 to finish third in the “B” section of the 5000m on his home track.
Fernandez, the top U.S. finisher in the junior race in Amman in March, was fourth in 13:31.78. Derrick and Fernandez were both under the previous junior mark of 13:37.91 set by Galen Rupp in 2004 that had broken a mark that had stood for 40 years. University of Minnesota student Hassan Mead won in 13:28.45.
“The main thing was to be beat German because I knew that he would be in good shape to do it,” Derrick said. “It doesn’t matter if he hasn’t run a race in a year. He is going to be fit. I figured coming down to the last 800 that the record would come down to which ever of us was ahead at that time.”
Fernandez, the American collegiate record holder in the Indoor Mile and the National U.S. High School record-holder in the Two Mile, took the loss in good spirits.
“Chris ran great today and I have to give it up to him,” Fernandez said. “I can’t hold every record, I have to share it sometimes.”
In the “A” section, Alistair Cragg (IRL) outdueled Matt Tegenkamp on the homestretch to win 13:22.36 to 13:22.60. Kenyan Sam Chelanga of Liberty, who set the collegiate record and World leading 27:28.48 in the 10,000m at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational in Berkeley last weekend, was third in 13:28.31.
U.S. Leading Marks for Centrowitz Nelson and Waits
Matthew Centrowitz, a redshirt freshman at the University of Oregon, ran a U.S. leading 3:36.92 in the 1500m. The mark by Centrowitz, the son of former American 5000m record holder Matt Centrowitz, was just off the Oregon school record of 3:36.48 held by 1984 Olympic 800m gold medallist Joaquim Cruz (BRA).
The mark ranks third in school history behind Cruz and his father who ran 3:36.7 in 1976 and sixth in NCAA history.
Nelson timed 27:36.99 in the 10,000m to achieve the World Championships automatic qualifying standard to lead three runners under 28:00 with Oregon Track Club teammate Simon Bairu of Canada (27:50.76) and Australian Shawn Forrest of Arkansas (27:52.10).
Katie Waits won the women’s 800m in 2:01.79 for another U.S. yearly best.
Elsewhere...
A moment of silence was observed in the memory of Payton Jordan, the former Stanford and 1968 U.S. Olympic Team coach who died at the age of 91 on 5 Feb.
Duane Solomon, a member of the 2007 U.S. World Championships team, won the 800m in 1:47.36 to follow his season-opening win in the Mt. San Antonio College Relays.
Beijing Olympian Erica McLain, a three-time NCAA champion at Stanford, won the women’s Triple Jump with a wind-aided 14.23m.
Kirby Lee for the IAAF
