Caicedo Shatters Hurdles Record, Six Cougs Qualify for Sunday Finals
BOULDER, Colo. – The Washington State track and field team competed in the second day of the 2024 Pac-12 Track and Field Championships, Saturday, May 11, at Potts Field in Boulder, Colorado. Two school records fell, six Cougars qualified for Sunday finals, and two WSU student-athletes made the podium in continuing action from the University of Colorado campus.
Graduate student Maribel Caicedo drew international attention with a lifetime-best 12.61 seconds, the fastest time out of the preliminary heats in the 100-meter hurdles. Caicedo's time broke the Washington State school record, the Potts Field facility record, tied the Pac-12 Championships meet record set in 1988, and earned the Ecuadorian hurdler a qualifying time for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Redshirt-junior Miceala De Mello raced to the second-fastest time in her preliminary heat and the 4th-best time overall to clinch a spot alongside Caicedo in Sunday's 100m hurdles final, scheduled to begin at 12:40 p.m. PT (1:40 p.m. MT).
On the field, junior shot putter Nana Gyedu broke a 33-year-old school record with a 16.81m toss to set a lifetime best and claim silver at the Pac-12 Championships. Gyedu's mark surpassed WSU Hall of Famer Georgette Reed set in Calgary in 1991.
Senior Caroline Jerotich also found the podium with a 10:54.51 time in the 3,000m steeplechase. Jerotich's mark earned her a bronze medal and the Cougar women's team six points.
In the men's sprint hurdles preliminary heats, sophomore John Paredes claimed the top qualifying time in 13.66 seconds. Fellow sophomore Parker Duskin finished in 13.32 to earn a spot in Sunday afternoon's final with the fourth-fastest time.
In the 400m preliminary heats, the Cougars earned finals qualifications on the women's side from graduate student Jasneet Nijjar and on the men's side from freshman Grant Buckmiller. Nijjar finished in 52.95 seconds and Buckmiller punched his ticket with a 46.08. The 400m finals are scheduled to begin at 12:55 p.m. PT (1:55 p.m. MT).
Three other Cougar men scored for Washington State, Saturday. In the shot put, junior Ronald Grueso Mosquera earned a mark of 17.64 meters and a fifth-place finish in the Conference championships. In the men's 3,000m steeplechase, Kelvin Limo also finished fifth with a time of 9:18.37.
Graduate student Mason Mahacek had a strong start to the day in the second half of the decathlon before an injury during a pole vault forced him to retire from the discipline. Mahacek rallied to score in the javelin throw, but was unable to continue in the final event, the 1500m dash. Mahacek still finished fifth overall with 6,814 points.
The 2024 Pac-12 Track and Field Championships conclude Sunday with finals across the track disciplines, the team relays, triple jump, women's discus, women's pole vault, men's high jump, and men's discus. The enter final day of the championship will be televised on Pac-12 Networks and pac-12.com beginning at noon PT (1 p.m. MT).
WSU Results – 2024 Pac-12 Track & Field Championships Day 2
Men's Hammer Throw
- Ben Chappell: 61.97m / 203' 3" / 10th
- Caden Hottman: 61.22m / 200' 10" / 11th
Women's 100m Hurdles Prelim
- Maribel Caicedo: 12.61 / 1st / [PR] [SR] [T-MR] [Q]
- Micaela De Mello: 13.32 / 4th / [Q]
Men's 110m Hurdles Prelim
- John Paredes: 13.66 / 1st / [Q]
- Parker Duskin: 14.26 / 4th / [Q]
Women's 400m Prelim
- Jasneet Nijjar: 52.95 / 7th / [q]
Men's 400m Prelim
- Grant Buckmiller: 46.08 / 8th / [PR] [Q]
- Ethan Willems: 47.14 / 20th / [PR]
Men's Pole Vault
- Seth Nelson: 4.89m / 16' 0.5" / 9th
- Brayden Freitag: 4.74m / 15' 6.5" / 10th
- Lee Walburn: 4.59m / 15' 0.75" / 12th
- Gavin Dimick: NH
- Lucas Tailin: NH
Women's High Jump
- Sarah Kovich: NH
Women's 100m Prelim
- Skyler Walton: 11.54 / 10th / [T-PR]
- Brooke Lyons: 12.05 / 25th / [T-PR]
- Ashley Hollenbeck: 12.14 / 29th / [PR]
- Elise Unruh-Thomas: DNS
Men's 100m Prelim
- Mason Lawyer: 10.53 / 12th
Women's 800m Prelim
- Neema Kimtai: 2:09.10 / 18th
- Maya McCabe: 2:09.12 / 19th
- Elena Willems: 2:11.03 / 23rd
- Pietra Ornelas: 2:15.53 / 27th
Men's Shot Put
- Ronald Grueso Mosquera: 17.64m / 57' 10.5" / 5th
- Lee Walburn: 14.98m / 49' 1.75" / 10th / [PR]
Women's Shot Put
- Nana Gyedu: 16.81m / 55' 2" / 2nd / [PR] [SR]
Men's 800m Prelim
- Aiden Emerson: 1:52.12 / 15th
- Evan Gonzalez: 1:53.30 / 19th
- Kellen Langford: 1:53.39 / 20th
- Ethan Martin: 1:55.99 / 24th
Women's 3000m Steeplechase
- Caroline Jerotich: 10:54.51 / 3rd
Men's 3000m Steeplechase
- Kelvin Limo: 9:18.37 / 5th
Men's Decathlon
Mason Mahacek: 6814pts / 5th
- 110m Hurdles: 15.24 / 821pts / 4th
- Discus Throw: 39.71m / 127' 8" / 659pts / 3rd
- Pole Vault: 4.69m / 15' 4.5" / 816pts / 3rd
- Javelin Throw: 46.42m / 152' 3" / 536pts / 6th
- Men's 1500m: DNF
Women's Heptathlon
Sarah Kovich: Withdrew
- Long Jump: NM / DNS
- Javelin Throw: NM / DNS
- 800m Run: NT / DNS