Colorado’s distance runners made it a productive opening day at the Pac-12 Conference outdoor track and field championships.
Several additional Buffaloes athletes made certain CU will have more points within reach later in the meet.
CU posted four top-10 finishes in the men’s 10K and two more in the women’s 10K as the Pac-12 finals got underway on Friday at Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut, Calif.
India Johnson posted the top individual finish of the opening day for the Buffs, placing third in the women’s 10K with a time of 33 minutes, 24.21 seconds. Teammate Kaitlyn Barthell wasn’t far behind, placing sixth at 33:35.09.
Charlie Sweeney led the Buffs’ top-10 contingent in the men’s 10K, placing fourth with a mark of 29:12.70. Jake Derouin (29.46.60) and Ethan Powell (29.51.69) finished fifth and sixth, respectively, while Jace Aschbrenner placed 10th (30:31.95).
Abbey Glynn posted the top preliminary time in the women’s 400 hurdles, finishing in 57.76 seconds to advance to Sunday’s final. Bailey Hertenstein advanced out of the women’s 1,500, finishing seventh with a time of 4:16.92.
In the men’s 400 hurdles, Garrett Nelson and Cole Romig advanced to Sunday’s final. Nelson finished fifth in the preliminaries, while Romig finished sixth.
In field events, CU’s Jada Green finished third in the women’s javelin, while Matt Ward placed seventh in the men’s hammer throw.
The meet continues on Saturday, with the Buffs competing in the preliminaries of the men’s and women’s 400, the men’s 800, and the finals of the men’s and women’s steeplechase.
Pac-12 outdoor track and field championships
Colorado results Day 1 (May 12, 2023)
Men
1500 — 17. Grady Rauba, 3:50.70.
400 hurdles — 5. Garrett Nelson, 53.04 (Q); Cole Romig, 53.48 (Q); 10. Luke Dry, 54.73.
10K — 4. Charlie Sweeney, 29:12.70; 5. Jake Derouin, 29.46.60; 6. Ethan Powell, 29.51.69; 10. Jace Aschbrenner, 30:31.95.
Hammer — 7. Matt Ward, 66.11; 13. Tyler Sconce, 59.29.
Javelin — 9. Gustavo Alfonso, 61.37.
Women
1500 — 7. Bailey Hartenstein, 4:16.92 (Q); 22. Carley Bennett, 4:34.44.
400 hurdles — 1. Abbey Glynn, 57.76 (Q); 12. Emma Pollak, 59.95.
10K — 3. India Johnson, 33:24.21; 6. Kaitlyn Barthell, 33:35.09.
Javelin — 3. Jada Green, 51.66.
(Q — Advanced to championship heat)
