University of Colorado junior Jaron Thomas recorded a season-best time of 51.87 seconds to win the 400-meter hurdles on Saturday at the Beach Invitational as the Buffs wrapped up action in Southern California.
Thomas also placed fourth in the 110-hurdles, crossing the finish in 14.17.
Thomas led a strong group of hurdlers. Freshman Trenton Stringari was seventh in the 400-hurdles, finishing in 52.74, while sophomore Isaiah Kaiser was 23rd in 54.51. In the 110-hurdles, freshman Isaiah Oliver was 15th overall (14.70), while another freshman, Alex Billing placed 28th (15.00).
The Buffs also had success in the open 100, placing two in the top 30. Junior Austin Mitsch was 13th (10.82) while sophomore Jaysean Skrine was 28th (10.95). In the 200, freshman Duane McClurkin Jr. paced the Buffs with a fifth-place finish in 21.47.
The women were led in the sprints by sophomore Rajon O’Quinn, who was 23rd overall after clocking in at 56.71. Freshman Maja Wichhart-Donzo placed 28th for the Buffs in the 400-hurdles with a time of 1:02.55.
Sophomore Mariah Walker led Colorado in the field events, placing third overall with a personal record in the shot put. She earned a mark of 50-9.50 on her second attempt of the day to become the third Buff to break the 50-foot mark.
Walker was also in the top 20 of the discus, placing 19th with a mark of 146-8. Senior Sophie Hallam-Eames finished one spot in front of Walker in the discus (18th), throwing 147-6, while freshman Elisa Grandemange was 23rd (143-8).
In the men’s discus, senior Brady Rutt was 12th after launching a throw of 174-1 and sophomore Grayson Webber was 22nd (162-9).
Senior Kelsey English placed third in the high jump after clearing 5-7. Two other Buffs, senior Abrianna Torres and O’Quinn, also jumped 5-7. Torres placed eighth and O’Quinn tied for 10th after the tie-breaker. Torres also competed in the long jump and recorded a top five finish with a leap of 19-4 for fifth place.
McClurkin Jr. led the Buffs on the men’s side, placing 15th in the high jump after reaching 6-6.75. Oliver took a turn in the long jump and recorded a jump of 22-1.50 to place 24th and in the pole vault, sophomore Andrew Ghizzone reached 16-00 to place 19th.
The Buffs also had a pair of women’s relays competing at Mt. SAC Relays in the invitational sections. The 4×100-meter relay team of sophomores Ana Holland, Tashay Brown, Alex Peters and senior Eileen Gehring placed eighth overall after finishing in 45.38, the fourth fastest time in CU history. Later in the day, Holland, Peters and Gehring teamed up with freshman Gabby Scott in the 4×400-relay and ran 3:37.99, which was sixth overall. The time is the sixth fastest for the Buffs.
2016 Beach Invitational
Field Events
Men’s High Jump: (1. Japheth Cato, Altis, 7-1) 15. Duane McClurkin Jr., 6-6.75/2.00
Women’s High Jump: (1. Uhunoma Osazuma, Double Pillar, 6-1.50) t3. Kelsey English, 5-7/1.70; 8. Abrianna Torres, 5-7/1.70; t10. Rajon O’Quinn, 5-7/1.70
Men’s Pole Vault: (1. Michael Woepse, unattached, 18-1.75) 19. Andrew Ghizzone, 16-6
Women’s Long Jump: (1. Tori Polk, unattached, 21-10.00) 5. Abrianna Torres, 19-4/5.89
Men’s Long Jump: (1. Greg Rutherford, unattached, 27-2.75) 24. Isaiah Oliver, 22-1.50/6.74; 43. Dionne Taylor Jr., 14-00.50
Men’s Triple Jump: De’Jour Plunkett-Elliott – no mark available at this time.
Women’s Shot Put: (1. Keely Medeiros, Brazil, 54-09.50) 3. Mariah Walker, 50-9.50/15.48
Men’s Discus: (1. Rodney Brown, unattached, 210-04) 12. Brady Rutt, 174-1; 22. Grayson Webber, 162-09; 44. Paden Gatlin, 145-8
Women’s Discus: (1. Fernanda Martins, unattached, 188-10) 18. Sophie Hallam-Eames, 147-6; 19. Mariah Walker, 146-8; 23. Elisa Grandemange, 143-8; 55. Makenzie Kline, 124-8
Track Events
Men’s 110-Meter Hurdles: (1. Teivaskie Lewin, USD, 13.59) 4. Jaron Thomas, 14.17; 15. Isaiah Oliver, 14.70; 28. Alex Billing, 15.00
Women’s 400-Meters: (1. Santina Williams, Alabama State, 53.17) 23. Rajon O’Quinn, 56.71
Men’s 400-Meters: (1. Andre Barnes, Lewis, 47.04) 48. Garrett Losty, 49.40;
Women’s 100-Meters: (1. Persis William-Mensah, UC Irvine, 11.69) 63. Mia Holland, 12.54
Men’s 100-Meters: (1. Mobolade Ajomale, Academy of Art, 10.35) 13. Austin Mitsch, 10.82; 28. Jaysean Skrine, 10.95; 54. Patrick Carr, 11.14; 64. Abdiel Agramonte Moreno, 11.28
Women’s 400-Meter Hurdles: (1. Turquoise Thompson, Nike, 54.74) 28. Maja Wichhart-Donzo, 1:02.55
Men’s 400-Meter Hurdles: 1. Jaron Thomas, 51.87; 7. Trenton Stringari, 52.74; 23. Isaiah Kaiser, 54.51
Women’s 200-Meters: (1. Chantel Stennis, Lewis, 24.04) 65. Mia Holland, 26.16
Men’s 200-Meters: (1. Stiriey Jones, unattached, 20.76) 6. Duane McClurkin Jr., 21.47; 54. Jaysean Skrine, 22.48; 56. Darrin Haynes, 22.52
2016 Mt. SAC Relays
Track Events
Women’s 4×100-meter relay: (1. Oregon, 42.68) 8. Colorado (Ana Holland, Tashay Brown, Alex Peters, Eileen Gehring), 45.38
Women’s 4×400-meter relay: (1 TMBTC, 3:32.52) 6. Colorado (Alex Peters, Ana Holland, Gabby Scott, Eileen Gehring), 3:37.99
