Cardama Baez Wins Pac-12 10,000 Meters

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Women of Oregon scored 18 points on day one of the Pac-12 Championships led by a victorious Carmela Cardama Baez in the 10,000 meters. Almost simultaneously, Lauri Paredes was taking second in the javelin to cap a productive day at Loker Track Stadium in Los Angeles. On the men's side, the Ducks got a combined seven points from Dalton Rasmussen and Jack Yearian in the javelin and 10,000 meters, respectively.
 
On the first day of running prelims, the Ducks also collected 13 qualifiers—nine men, four women—for Sunday finals.
 
Cardama Baez stopped the clock in a meet-record time of 32:38.73, surpassing the previous mark of 33:10.84 by Vanessa Fraser of Stanford in 2018. The effort also broke the Loker facility record and moved Cardama Baez to No. 2 on the UO all-time list. Cardama Baez becomes the sixth UO woman to win a conference title at 10,000 meters and the first since Alex Kosinski in 2012.
 
"I wasn't looking for any certain time, honestly," Cardama Baez said after the race. "I knew Haley Herberg (of Washington) was a grinder and I was expecting her to take it out. I wasn't really look at the time. I just wanted to stay consistent and run big at the end.
 
"I didn't even know I broke the meet record until Helen (Lehman-Winters) just told me. It makes me confident that I have a lot left and I want to keep doing better. This is my 10th 10K so it's cool that I can get 10 points for my team and get a meet record, too."
 
Cardama Baez is also entered in the 5,000 meters which is scheduled for Sunday at 5:50 p.m.
 
As the women's 10K was being run, Paredes was battling her way to a runner-up finish in the javelin. She was in fourth place after five rounds but got the implement out to 53.40m/175-2 on her final throw of the competition, good for eight points for the Women of Oregon. With the throw, Paredes became the No. 3 performer in school history. She has now produced a season best in each meet this year.
 
Rasmussen scored the team's first points of the weekend with his fourth-place finish in the javelin, good for five points for the Men of Oregon. He had a best of 63.60m/208-8 in the fourth round to score in his Pac-12 debut. Yearian crossed the 10K finish line in 29:00.99, good for seventh place and two points toward the UO total
 
Friday's 10K was the first of Yearian's track career, having not covered the distance since the 2019 NCAA Cross Country Championships.
 
The Men of Oregon were a perfect 9-for-9 in preliminary action on day one with four qualifiers in the 1,500 meters, three in the 200 meter and two in the 400-meter hurdles. James West (3:42.02) was the fastest of the four UO qualifiers, and the second-fastest qualifier overall with his season-best time.
 
On the women's side, the Ducks advanced at least one runner in all three running prelims. In the 400-meter hurdles, freshman Alexa Webster (59.57) claimed the final time qualifier with the help of a personal best that doubles as the No. 10 mark in UO history.
 
Moving On…
Men's 200m – Gaston Bouchereau, Rieker Daniel, Jacoby McNamara
Women's 200m – Kemba Nelson, Danyel White
Men's 1,500m – Reed Brown, Jackson Mestler, Cooper Teare, James West
Women's 1,500m – Hannah Reinhardt
Men's 400m hurdles – Jonathan Harvey, Will Mundy
Women's 400m hurdles – Alexa Webster
 
Friday also marked the beginning of the multi-event competitions, which are typically held during a separate weekend. Max Vollmer sits in second place after day one with 4,066 points and is one of three UO men in scoring position along with Nathan Poff in fourth place and Jett Kinder in sixth. Vollmer began the day with PRs in the 100 meters (10.82) and long jump (7.15m/23-5.5) and will enter day two trailing Cal's Hakim McMorris who leads the field with 4,268 points through four events.
 
In the heptathlon, Mathilde Rey and Taylor Chocek are in 11th and 15th place, respectively. Rey has 3,071 points and is within 90 points of scoring position with day two—long jump, javelin, 800 meters—ahead.
 
Up Next: In addition to the conclusion of the multi events, the Ducks will have a combined 14 scoring chances—seven for each team—in six events Saturday. The decathlon resumes at 1 p.m. (PT) with field and running events starting at 3:30 and 4 p.m., respectively. All field events will stream live on Pac-12.com.
 
2021 Track and Field Pac-12 Championships – Day 1
Loker Track Stadium (Los Angeles, Calif.)
MEN
200 Meters
5. Jacoby McNamara – 20.87q
6. Rieker Daniel – 21.07q
8. Gaston Bouchereau – 21.20q
 
1,500 Meters
2. Cooper Teare – 3:42.60
3. James West – 3:42.02Q (SB)
9. Reed Brown – 3:42.54Q
10. Jackson Mestler – 3:43.87Q
 
10,000 Meters
7. Jack Yearian – 29:00.99 [2 points]
 
400m Hurdles
2. Jonathan Harvey – 51.25Q
5. Will Mundy – 51.75Q (PR)
 
Javelin
4. Dalton Rasmussen – 63.60m/208-8 [5 points]
 
Decathlon (Day 1)
2. Max Vollmer – 4,066 points
               2. 100 Meters – 10.82 (PR) [901]
               2. Long Jump – 7.15m/23-5.5 (PR) [850]
               1. Shot Put – 14.93m/48-11.75 [785]
               6. High Jump – 1.85m/6-0.75 [670]
               2. 400 Meters – 49.03 [860]
4. Nathan Poff – 3,633 points
               6. 100 Meters – 11.09 (PR) [841]
               8. Long Jump – 6.70m/21-11.75 [743]
               5. Shot Put – 12.14m/39-10 [615]
               9. High Jump – 1.79m/5-10.5 [619]
               5. 400 Meters – 49.99 [815]
6. Jett Kinder – 3,585 points
               8. 100 Meters – 11.26w (+2.2) [804]
               3. Long Jump – 6.89m/22-7.25 [788]
               3. Shot Put – 13.73m/45-0.5 [712]
               4. High Jump – 1.88m/6-2 (PR) [696]
               13. 400 Meters – 55.35 [585]
 
WOMEN
200 Meters
2. Danyel White – 23.13Q (SB)
4. Kemba Nelson – 23.38Q
12. Jasmin Reed – 23.83
14. Iman Brown – 23.87w (+2.7)
 
1,500 Meters
2. Hannah Reinhardt – 4:21.03Q
16. Nicole Louw – 4:29.36 (PR)
 
10,000 Meters
1. Carmela Cardama Baez – 32:38.73 (PR) [No. 2 UO] [10 points]
16. Caramia Mestler – 34:53.94
 
400m Hurdles
8. Alexa Webster – 59.57q (PR) [No. 10 UO]
 
Javelin
2. Lauri Paredes – 53.40m/175-2 (SB) [No. 3 UO] [8 points]
13. Riley Traeger – 43.65m/143-2
 
Heptathlon (Day 1)
11. Mathilde Rey – 3,071 points
               13. 100m Hurdles – 15.11 [827]
               9. High Jump – 1.66m/5-5.25 (PR) [806]
               3. Shot Put – 12.40m/40-8.25 (PR) [688]
               15. 200 Meters – 26.55 (PR) [750]
15. Taylor Chocek – 2,886 points
               14. 100m Hurdles – 15.13 [825]
               13. High Jump – 1.57m/5-1.75 (=PR) [701]
               11. Shot Put – 10.90m/35-9.25 (PR) [589]
               14. 200 Meters – 26.30 [771]
 
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