Bears Dominate Outdoor Opener Dual At Edwards
BERKELEY – California track & field opened the 2021 outdoor season with a dominant showing against Sacramento State, posting 26 events wins and 15 personal bests Saturday at Edwards Stadium.
It was the first outdoor track & field meet for the Golden Bears in 364 days, since last year's Cal Opener on March 7, 2020.
Anna Purchase started the day off with a bang for California, making her debut as a Golden Bear in the women's hammer throw with the second-best mark in Cal history at 66.52 meters (218-3) to take the win in the event.
Cal won all three women's throwing events as Jasmine Blair took the discus throw title with a lifetime best of 51.71 meters (169-8) and Kristin Smoot won the shot put competition with a personal record heave of 13.90 meters (45-7.25). The Bears won the men's discus and men's shot put as Iffy Joyner and Jake Porter took the titles in those events, respectively.
Leading the sprints, Deshae Wise set a new lifetime best of 11.74 seconds, the nation's fastest early season time and tied for ninth-fastest in Cal history to finish first in the women's 100-meters. The Bears went one, two, three in the event with Maisie Stevens taking second in 11.96 seconds and Sydney Reid coming in third with a new personal record time of 12.14 seconds.
Ezinne Abba dashed to a win in the women's 200-meters, crossing the line in 24.20 seconds to set a new personal best in the event. The bears swept the women's hurdles events with Wise taking the win in the 400-meter hurldles (1:05.79) and Sonia Redon won the 100-meter hurdles in 14.44 seconds.
The Bears claimed victories in both the men's and women's 1,500-meter races as Margie Cullen made her Cal debut with a winning time of 4:34.90 in the women's race and Benjamin Micallef crossed the finish line in 3:54.47. Garrett MacQuiddy made his debut in the Blue and Gold, taking the win in the 800-meters with a time of 1:50.23.
Cal took the top two spots in both the women's long jump and triple jump competitions with Noelle Schiller leaping 5.55 meters (18-2.5) and Windy Margerum going 5.37 meters (17-7.5) in the long jump along with Asha Fletcher (12.45 meters, 40-10.25) and Abibat Rahman-Davies (11.73 meters, 38-6) taking the top spots in the triple jump.
On the men's side, Sanjay Kettels won the men's triple jump with a new lifetime best leap of 13.92 meters (45-8) and the Bears went one, two in the long jump with Kamau Carlisle (7.08 meters, 23-2.75) and Kettles (6.78 meters, 22-3).
Jai Williams set a new personal best of his own, clearing 1.93 meters (6-4) in the men's high jump to earn another win for California.
Up Next: The Bears return to outdoor action for a dual meet at USC on March 20 at Loker Stadium in Los Angeles.
Saturday's Results
MEN
Hammer Throw: 2. Michael Gupta, 55.16m/180-11
Long Jump: 1. Kamau Carlisle, 7.08m/23-2.75; 2. Sanjay Kettels, 6.78m/22-3
Shot Put: 1. Jake Porter, 16.30m/53-5.75; 2. Iffy Joyner 16.23m/53-3; 5. Justin Wirtz 14.73m/48-4
Discus Throw: 1. Iffy Joyner, 54.72m/179-6; 2. Justin Wirtz, 48.86m/160-3; 4. Adam Mapuatuli, 42.86m/140-7
High Jump: 1. Jai Williams, 1.93m/6-4
Triple Jump: 1. Sanjay Kettels, 13.92m/45-8
Pole Vault: 1. Hakim McMorris, 4.25m/13-11.25; 2. Skyler Magula, 4.25m/13-11.25
1,500m: 1. Benjamin Micallef, 3:54.47; 2. Xavier Court, 3:59.48; 5. Cooper Limon, 4:06.29
110H: 1. Riley Hunt, 14.77; 2. Hakim McMorris, 14.89
400: 2. Kyle Johnston, 49.20; 4. Blaise Carson, 49.98; 5. Josh Keller, 54.26
100: 1. George Monroe, 10.89; 2. Samir Thota, 10.93; 5. Marcello Watson, 11.35
800: 1. Garrett MacQuiddy, 1:50.23
400H: 1. Riley Hunt, 57.87
200: 2. Samir Thota, 21.97; 4. Christian Catlin, 22.13; 5. George Monroe, 22.59; 6. Blaise Carson, 23.02; 7. Marcello Watson, 23.03; 11. Josh Keller, 24.08
WOMEN
Hammer Throw: 1. Anna Purchase, 66.52m/218-3; 2. Jasmine Blair, 56.88m/186-7
Long Jump: 1. Noelle Schiller, 5.55m/18-2.5; 2. Windy Margerum, 5.37m/17-7.5
Shot Put: 1. Krissy Smoot, 13.90m/45-7.25
Discus Throw: 1. Jasmine Blair, 51.71m/169-8; 2. Krissy Smoot, 47.46m/155-8
High Jump: 1. Caitlin Bailey, 1.55m/5-1
Triple Jump: 1. Asha Fletcher, 12.45m/40-10.25; 2. Abibat Rahman-Davies, 11.73m/38-6
Pole Vault: 1. Amari Turner, 3.65m/11-11.75; 2. Paige Turner, 3.50m/11-5.75
1,500m: 1. Margie Cullen, 4:34.90; 2. Claire Yerby, 4:46.04; 7. Lauren Calcagno, 5:00.67
100H: 1. Sonia Redon, 14.44; 4. Windy Margerum, 15.51
400: 1. Ryan Lacefield, 59.16
100: 1. Deshae Wise, 11.74; 2. Maisie Stevens, 11.96; 3. Sydney Reid, 12.14, 5. Sara East, 12.29; 6. Adaeze Noble, 12.43
800: 3. Christina Taylor, 2:47.14
400H: 1. Deshae Wise, 1:05.79; 4. Sonia Redon, 1:12.14
200: 1. Ezinne Abba, 24.20; 4. Adaeze Noble, 25.86; 5. Ryan Lacefield, 25.90
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