RESULTS

STANFORD, Calif. — Two weeks ago, 50 percent of the Portland State track & field athletes that competed at the Oregon Preview set school records. Friday, 75 percent of the Vikings competing at the Stanford Invitational set marks that will likely qualify them for the NCAA West Prelims at the end of the season.
 
That's an efficient success rate the Vikings have established for themselves early during the outdoor season.
 
Jordan MacIntosh cleared the qualifying barrier by the widest margin Friday. He finished second in the invitational section of the men's 3k steeplechase Friday in a time of 8:39.01. That would have set a new school record if not for his own time at the Bell Canadian Track & Field Championships last summer when he finished in 8:35.44.
 
For comparison's sake, MacIntosh's time would have ranked him 10th in the NCAA West – well within the top 48 that qualify for the NCAA West Prelims in each individual event.
 
So, MacIntosh should make travel plans for Sacramento – site of this year's NCAA West Prelims – for the end of May.
 
Bára Stýblová and Alex Barbour should be there with him, as they also ran times faster than the final qualifying time a year ago.
 
Stýblová nearly set the school record in the women's 3k steeplechase with her time Friday. She finished only two-tenths of a second off Sarah Medved's current record of 10:21.56 while placing third in her heat in 10:21.75. Barbour crossed the line just over a second behind Stýblová, as she finished in 10:22.98 while running in the same heat.
 
Both times were under the final qualifying time a season ago, which was 10:24.63. And like the men, last year's 48th-best time in the women's steeplechase was the fastest it's been in the past three years.
 
Teammate Tatum Miller could join them as an NCAA West qualifier by season's end. Miller, who set the school record in the women's 2k steeplechase two weeks ago, set a huge personal best in the 3k steeplechase Friday, shaving 12 seconds off her previous time with a finish in 10:31.57. If Miller knocks another seven seconds off that time over the rest of the season, then the Vikings could have three qualifiers in the women's steeplechase this season.
 
For now, the Vikings will settle for having three of their four athletes hit qualifying marks Friday. It's tough to argue with a success rate like that, after all.
 
Stanford Invitational
Cobb Track and Angell Field
Stanford, Calif.
March 31, 2023
 
Women's Results:
3,000m Steeplechase (Section 3): 3. Bára Stýblová, 10:21.75; 4. Alex Barbour, 10:22.98. 3,000m Steeplechase (Section 2): 12. Tatum Miller, 10:31.57.
 
Men's Results:
3,000m Steeplechase (Invitational): 2. Jordan MacIntosh, 8:39.01.