BERKELEY – California track & field battled through rainy and windy conditions on Saturday at Edwards Stadium, kicking off its outdoor season in splendid fashion with a veritable slew of top finishes and personal bests at the Cal Outdoor Opener.
 
The men recorded eight total wins, highlighted by a standout performance in the javelin by junior Charlie Dang. With only three practices under his best – having picked up the event just this week – Dang launched the spear 60.14m (197-3) to win by over 13 feet and finish about five feet outside the program top-10 list. Teammates Luke Buddie (56.09m/184-0) and Seth Johnson (50.59m/165-11) both improved their own PRs in the same event to finish second and third, respectively. Cal posted another one-two-three sweep in the 100m, with seniors Chase Williams (10.50), George Monroe (10.52) and Mason Mangum (10.52) following the wind to cross the finish line in that order. A third sweep came in the triple jump, with freshman Obi Nwafor (14.45m/47-5) leading classmates Jeremiah Bolaños (14.26m/46-9.5) and Chukwunonso Udeh (13.53mw/44-4.75). 
 
The Bears' rookies continued to ride high in the 800m, where Lamarr Kirk Jr. took first place with a time of 1:55.12 – just ahead of classmate Justin Pretre's 1:55.50; meanwhile, freshman Donovan Bradley also dominated in his first collegiate 110m hurdles race, crossing the finish line in a wind-aided 13.84 to beat out the field by .98 seconds. Fellow first-year Javon Hampton Jr. sailed with the wind to a victory in the long jump, posting a best mark of 6.96m (22-10).
 
Junior Isaiah Shaw took home the win in the 400m with his time of 47.50, while senior Josh Keller finished third at 48.49. Redshirt freshman Tanveer Raza won the shot put with a toss of 15.58m (51-1.5).
 
Cal found similar success on the women's side. Senior Ryan Lacefield continued her season of dominance with a personal-best time of 54.64 in the 400m to clinch first place; she was joined in the top three by teammates Jayden Hill (58.22) and Trudy Watkins (59.61). The Bears' women also swept the top-three spots in the 100m hurdles, courtesy of senior Jada Hicks (13.50), senior Jazlynn Shearer (13.63) and junior Asjah Atkinson (13.82). That race was the first outdoor competition by Atkinson as a Golden Bear, having sat out the previous two outdoor campaigns due to injury; her debut time put her in a tie for eighth-fastest all time at Cal.
 
The Bears' female distance runners earned a win of their own, this time in the 3000m thanks to freshman Addie Johnson and her time of 10:02.92; just a few seconds behind was classmate Sophie Tau, who finished third at 10:07.75. Not to be outdone, the 100m race featured another Cal win courtesy of junior Aysha Shaheed; she and classmate Makhaila Mills took first and second, respectively, with wind-aided times of 11.70 and 11.75.
 
Junior Destiny Okoh improved her hammer PR to 55.59m (182-4) to take the win in that event, followed by freshman Angie Schykerynec's second-place 53.35m (174-0); meanwhile, junior Sara Pettinger earned another win for the Bears in the shot put with a throw of 13.00m (42-8) and redshirt freshman Mara Lampsas rounded out the throws with a winning javelin mark of 31.81m (104-4).
 
Results
Men
100m: 1. Chase Williams 10.50w; 2. George Monroe 10.52w; 3. Mason Mangum 10.52w (wind-aided PR); 6. Christian Trapps 10.77w; 7. Deon McCauley 10.86w (wind-aided PR); 12. Samir Thota 11.02; 13. Javon Hampton Jr. 11.05; 16. Jason Plumb 11.12; 18. Chukwunonso Udeh 11.18
200m: 3. George Monroe 21.62w; 4. Chase Williams 21.81w (wind-aided PR); 6. Josh Keller 21.94; 8. Isaiah Shaw 22.35; 9. Deon McCauley 22.71; 11. Christian Trapps 22.88
400m: 1. Isaiah Shaw 47.50; 3. Josh Keller 48.49; 4. Iyan Godwin 49.23; 6. Zachary Pastore 50.90
800m: 1. Lamarr Kirk Jr. 1:55.12; 2. Justin Pretre 1:55.50
1500m: 2. Julian Doak 4:00.77 (PR); 3. Gabriel Abbes 4:01.60; 5. Roland Ruckmann-Barnes 4:06.35 (PR); 11. Dylan Bissell 4:09.68
110m Hurdles: 1. Donovan Bradley 13.84w (PR)
400m Hurdles: 2. Aiden Baker 54.44
Long Jump: 1. Javon Hampton Jr. 6.96mw/22-10
Triple Jump: 1. Obi Nwafor 14.45m/47-5; 2. Jeremiah Bolaños 14.26m/46-9.5 (PR); 3. Chukwunonso Udeh 13.53mw/44-4.75 (wind-aided PR)
Shot Put: 1. Tanveer Raza 15.58m/51-1.5 (PR)
Discus: 7. Seth Johnson 28.11m/92-2
Hammer: 4. Justin Wirtz 53.04m/174-0 (PR)
Javelin: 1. Charlie Dang 60.14m/197-3 (PR); 2. Luke Buddie 56.09m/184-0 (PR); 3. Seth Johnson 50.59m/165-11 (PR); 8. Parker Terrill 40.49m/132-10 (PR)
 
Women
100m: 1. Aysha Shaheed 11.70w; 2. Makhaila Mills 11.75w; 6. Jada Hicks 12.08w; 7. Masina Mayo 12.10w (wind-aided PR); 8. Jazlynn Shearer 12.17w; 9. Zanae Woods 12.30w (wind-aided PR); 10. Jaymie Ruskovich 12.34w (wind-aided PR); 11. Mari Testa 12.38 (PR); 18. Amelia Liao 13.58w
200m: 2. Zanae Woods 24.97 (PR); 3. Makhaila Mills 25.11; 4. Masina Mayo 25.50; 5. Jaymie Ruskovich 25.69; 10. Jayden Hill 26.55; 14. Mackenzie Motz 27.38
400m: 1. Ryan Lacefield 54.64 (PR); 2. Jayden Hill 58.22; 3. Trudy Watkins 59.61 (PR); 5. Mackenzie Motz 1:01.21
1500m: 6. Sydney Morrow 5:03.34
3000m: 1. Addie Johnson 10:02.92 (PR); 3. Sophie Tau 10:07.75 (PR)
100m Hurdles: 1. Jada Hicks 13.50; 2. Jazlynn Shearer 13.63; 3. Asjah Atkinson 13.82 (PR, Tied-8th Cal History); 4. Mari Testa 14.61 (PR); 6. Amelia Liao 15.23
400m Hurdles: 1. Loreal Wilson 1:03.55
4x400m Relay: 1. California 4:18.23 (Petra Schuster, Eva Novy-Hildesley, Addie Johnson, Anastasia Snodgrass)
High Jump: 2. Adriana Ellard 1.60m/5-3 (PR)
Pole Vault: - Paige Martin NH
Long Jump: 2. Ashanti Elie 5.31m/17-5.25. (PR)
Shot Put: 1. Sara Pettinger 13.00m/42-8; 6. Mara Lampsas 9.95m/32-7.75 (PR)
Hammer: 1. Destiny Okoh 55.59m/182-4 (PR); 2. Angie Schykerynec 53.35m/174-0 (PR)
Javelin: 1. Mara Lampsas 31.81m/104-4 (PR); 4. Adriana Ellard 24.75m/81-2

UP NEXT
The Bears will send four representatives to the NCAA Indoor Championships next week (March 7-9) in Boston, followed by their next outdoor competition at the Hornet Invitational in Sacramento on March 15-16.
 
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