BOB LARSEN DISTANCE CARNIVAL RESULTS - PDF | HTML
LEGENDS OF TRACK & FIELD INVITATIONAL RESULTS - PDF | HTML

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Distance took a day off from being a relationship killer Friday, and instead took center stage at the Bob Larsen Distance Carnival at UCLA's Drake Stadium.
 
Sophomore Kaila Ann Gibson led a group of Viking distance runners at the meet, as she posted a 50-second personal best while winning the 'B' section of the women's 5,000 meters in 17:48.92. Gibson's time crushed her old personal best of 18:39.11, set at last year's San Francisco State Distance Carnival, and moved her into the top 10 within the Big Sky this season.
 
Sophomore Jocelyn Reynolds showed similar improvement in the women's 10,000 meters, as she finished in 38:43.63 to beat her old PR of 39:39.43 by close to a full minute.
 
Freshman Alec Hornecker didn't match Gibson's or Reynolds' dramatic improvements, but still posted his own personal best in the men's 5,000 meters. Hornecker finished the 5,000 in 15:05.58 to beat his season-opening time of 15:10.16 from two weeks ago by close to five seconds.
 
Junior Alana Chaplin shaved six seconds off her personal best Friday while competing in the 'C' section of the women's 1,500 meters. Chaplin finished in 5:00.26, well ahead of her time of 5:06.36 at the Trojan Invitational two weeks ago.
 
Freshman Liam Jemison shaved close to seven seconds off his Portland State personal best in the men's 1,500 meters, finishing in 4:05.83 Friday to place well ahead of his season-opening time of 4:12.75 at the L&C Spring Break Open.
 
Jemison placed second to senior Ben Richardson in the 'C' section of the men's 1,500 meters, as Richardson won the section in 4:01.59. Richardson finished four seconds ahead of any other runner, giving the senior a strong return to the track after he suffered an injury at the Big Sky Indoor Championships on Feb. 25.
 
Junior Justin Wikler narrowly missed setting a new personal best in the men's 10,000 meters, as he finished less than a second behind his personal best with his finish in 33:12.09.
 
Friday also featured the first 3,000-meter steeplechase for freshman Michael Biedebach, who finished eighth in 9:40.85. Biedebach's time ranks him ninth all-time in the steeplechase at Portland State after his first race, and ranks him in the top 10 within the Big Sky this season.
 
The Vikings continue competition at Drake Stadium tomorrow, as the rest of the Vikings' track & field team takes over for the Legends of Track & Field Invitational. Field events start at 10 a.m. Saturday, while track events start at 2:50 p.m.
 
Bob Larsen Distance Carnival
Los Angeles, Calif.
Drake Stadium
March 31, 2017
 
Women's Results:
1,500m (C Section): 3. Alana Chaplin, 5:00.26. 5,000m (B Section): 1. Kaila Ann Gibson, 17:48.92. 10,000m: 8. Sarah Medved, 36:26.93; 11. Jocelyn Reynolds, 38:43.63
 
Men's Results:
1,500m (C Section): 1. Ben Richardson, 4:01.59; 2. Liam Jemison, 4:05.83. 5,000m (B Section): 6. Alec Hornecker, 15:05.58; 9. Andrew Stafford, 15:23.70; 12. Cameron Gaskell, 15:34.46; 19. Jacob Emeterio, 16:24.22. 10,000m: 14. Justin Wikler, 33:12.09. 3,000m Steeplechase: 11. Michael Biedebach, 9:40.85.
 
Legends of Track & Field Invitational
Los Angeles, Calif.
Drake Stadium
March 31, 2017
 
Men's Results:
Long Jump (College): Jean-Luc Toku, FOUL.