RESULTS

OGDEN, Utah — Josh Snyder showed his toughness Friday.
 
Despite holding the school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, the event didn't shape up for Snyder the way he wanted it to at the Big Sky Outdoor Championships. Instead, Snyder fell face first into the water pit about midway through the race, eliminating any hope he may have had to see the podium.
 
Rather than wallow, though, Snyder got up and gutted out the final three-plus laps to finish seventh in 9:30.30.
 
The show of toughness should help Snyder down the road, potentially even two weeks from now when he will likely toe the line in the steeplechase once more at the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds, May 26-29, in College Station, Texas.
 
Ian Vickstrom and Keynan Abdi flashed their own toughness while battling through the men's 10k together. Vickstrom and Abdi traded off the lead through the first 80 percent of the race, helping each other ward off the elevation of Chick Hislop Track and Stewart Stadium, which sits at about 4,300 feet.
 
The pair moved up steadily throughout the race. They were 17th and 18th in the field after nine laps, but sat 12th and 13th by the 17th lap of the race. With 2k to go, they were 10th and 11th, and it was game on from there.
 
Vickstrom ended up edging Abdi for 10th in 31:15.09, though Abdi followed Vickstrom shortly after to place 11th in 31:21.59. Vickstrom's time moves him up to fifth all-time in the 10k at Portland State – quite the accomplishment considering the elevation of Friday's race – while Abdi slots in at eighth. Additionally, no Viking has scored in the men's 10,000 meters due to the perpetually deep field within the Big Sky Conference, making Vickstrom's and Abdi's 10th- and 11th-place finishes all the more impressive.
 
The rest of the Vikings flashed some grit themselves Friday considering the meet's elevation.
 
Chase Lovercheck and Tom Richardson tried to battle through the elevation in their heats of the 800 and 1,500 meters, respectively. Both runners went out aggressively with the lead pack, but couldn't match the other runners' finishing kick as they failed to qualify for tomorrow's finals. Lovercheck finished the 800 in a game 1:56.95, ahead of teammate James Bottrill, who finished in 2:01.52. Richardson, meanwhile, ran the 1,500 in 3:55.73, slightly ahead of teammate Luke Ramirez, who finished in 3:57.40.
 
Jordan Gloden didn't have to battle the elevation like his teammates in the distances and turned in seasonal-best performances in the 110 and 400-meter hurdles as a result. Gloden finished in 14.99 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles, then returned to the track a couple hours later to finish the 400 hurdles in 56.93. Gloden's time in the 400-meter hurdles marked close to a second improvement over his previous seasonal best, which came two weeks earlier at the OSU High Performance Meet.
 
Phoebe Brown and Evan Peters also ran for the Vikings in the women's and men's steeplechase, respectively. Brown finished 15th in 12:25.03, while Peters crossed the line in 10th in 10:00.82.
 
Jean Rwandika placed 13th in the men's javelin, finishing with a best throw of 180-02 (54.93m).
 
Monica Salazar capped the night for the Vikings in the women's 10k, placing 17th in 41:21.19. 
 
The Vikings close out the Big Sky Outdoor Championships tomorrow, starting with the final of the women's 1,500 meters at 1:45 p.m. PT. Kaila Gibson will run in the final of the 1,500, before a number of Vikings take the stage in the men's and women's 5,000 meters. Seven different Vikings will run the men's 5k at 4 p.m. PT, while Cayla Seligman and Tatum Miller run the women's 5k at 4:25 p.m. PT.
 
Big Sky Outdoor Championships
Chick Hislop Track and Stewart Stadium
Ogden, Utah
May 14, 2021
 
Women's Results:
10,000m: 17. Monica Salazar, 41:21.19. 3,000m Steeplechase: 15. Phoebe Brown, 12:25.03.
 
Men's Results:
800m (Prelims): 23. Chase Lovercheck, 1:56.95; 25. James Bottrill, 2:01.52. 1,500m (Prelims): 16. Tom Richardson, 3:55.73; 17. Luke Ramirez, 3:57.40. 10,000m: 10. Ian Vickstrom, 31:15.09; 11. Keynan Abdi, 31:21.59. 110H (Prelims): 11. Jordan Gloden, 14.99. 400H (Prelims): 14. Jordan Gloden, 56.93. 3,000m Steeplechase: 7. Josh Snyder, 9:30.30; 13. Evan Peters, 10:00.82. Javelin: 13. Jean Rwandika, 180-02 (54.93m).