Lester Wins in 800 Debut

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Stanford freshman John Lester, the top high school half-miler in the nation last year, made his collegiate 800-meter debut with a victory at the Razorback Invitational on Saturday. 

Lester ran 1:48.90, edging 2021 indoor All-American Kieran Taylor of Arkansas by 0.03. Lester jumped to No. 4 all-time indoors for Stanford and No. 3 on the school all-time freshmen list. 

Lester ran an even pace, 27 seconds for each of the four 200-meter laps at the Tyson Indoor Track Center, but found himself trailing leader Antonio Abrego of Iowa and Taylor at the bell. But Lester closed in 27.56 to emerge with the victory. 

As a senior at Amador Valley High in Pleasanton, California, Lester clocked 1:47.65 outdoors for the nation's fastest time. He made his collegiate track debut on Jan. 15 at the UW Indoor Preview with a personal best 4:06.65 mile.

Lester was among four Stanford athletes at the 12-team Razorback meet to enter or improve their marks on Stanford's all-time indoor top-10 list. 

Racing in the men's 3,000, Cole Sprout ran 7:49.26 to finish as the top collegian and second overall in the second section of the invitational race. Ky Robinson was eighth, also with a personal best, of 7:56.80. Sprout, who was third in the combined sections, is now No. 6 in Stanford indoor history.

In the men's triple jump, Keyshawn King achieved his first 50-foot jump indoors – doing so in four of his five legal jumps. King placed fourth in 51-0 ¼ (15.55m) and moved ahead of football star Richard Sherman (50-4 ¾, 15.36m) into No. 5 all-time indoors at Stanford.

In the women's 60, Kennedy Gamble sprinted to a personal best 7.54, placing 13th and moving from No. 9 to No. 7 all-time at Stanford.
Stanford athletes set nine personal bests as they concluded the two-day meet. 
 
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Razorback Invitational
Saturday's results
At Tyson Indoor Track Center
(200-meter banked track)
Winners and all Stanford competitors

Men
60 – 1, Micah Williams (Oregon) 6.48; 14, Dorien Simon (Stanford) 6.92.
400 – 1, Jenoah McKiver (Iowa) 45.78; 34, Andrew Franco (Stanford) 49.22; Miles Zoltak (Stanford) DNF.
800 – 1, John Lester (Stanford) 1:48.90 (No. 4 Stanford AT; No. 3 Stanford frosh); 30, Ryan Oosting (Stanford) 1:56.52.
Mile – 1, Charlie Grice (unat.) 3:57.39; 17, Nolan Topper (Stanford) 4:07.36 (PB); 19, Nick Feffer (Stanford) 4:07.66; 20, Devin Hart (Stanford) 4:08.42 (PB); 34, Robert DiDonato (Stanford) 4:14.84.
3,000 – Invitational: 1, Alex Maier (Oklahoma State) 7:46.61; 3, Cole Sprout (Stanford) 7:49.26 (PB; No. 6 Stanford AT); 13, Ky Robinson (Stanford) 7:56.80 (PB). Main: 8, Galen Topper (Stanford) 8:15.59 (PB).
Triple jump – 1, Georgi Nachev (Missouri) 53-5 (16.28m); 4, Keyshawn King (Stanford) 51-0 ¼ (15.55m) (No. 5 Stanford AT).
Shot put – 1, Jabari Bennett (Mississippi State) 63-7 ¾ (19.40m); 10, Sam Liokumovich (Stanford) 51-7 (15.72m); 14, Garin Gross (Stanford) 47-11 ¾ (14.62m) (PB).

Women
60 – 1, Kemba Nelson (Oregon) 7.16; 13, Kennedy Gamble (Stanford) 7.54 (PB; No. 7 Stanford AT); 16, Olivia Okoli (Stanford) 7.59; 25, Teagan Zwaanstra (Stanford) 7.82; 26, Megan Olomu (Stanford) 7.88.
400 – 1, Morgan Burks Magee (Arkansas) 52.06; 10, Ashlan Best (Stanford) 54.34; 20, Maya Valmon (Stanford) 55.89; 22, Samantha Thomas (Stanford) 56.37.
800 – 1, Brooke Feldmeier (adidas) 2:00.92; 6, Julia Heymach (Stanford) 2:06.21.
Mile – 1, Taylor Roe (Oklahoma State) 4:34.35; 5, Lucy Jenks (Stanford) 4:44.26 (PB); 23, Rebecca Story (Stanford) 4:56.46.
3,000 – Invitational: 1, Cailie Logue (Iowa State) 9:03.49; 11, Audrey Suarez (Stanford) 9:35.28 (PB); 14, Grace Connolly (Stanford) 9:41.50. Main: 1, Imogen Gardiner (Stanford) 9:55.78.
Pole vault – 1, Amanda Fassold (unat.) 14-2 ½ (4.33m); 11, Lianne Kistler (Stanford) 12-5 ½ (3.80m); 12, Laurel Wong (Stanford) 11-11 ¾ (3.65m).
Triple jump – 1, Arianna Fisher (Missouri) 44-4 ½ (13.52m); 9, Elise Miller (Stanford) 40-6 ¾ (12.36m); Allyson Weiss (Stanford) F.
Shot put – 1, Ana Da Silva (Georgia) 54-1 ¾ (16.50m); 14, Kaiah Fisher (Stanford) 37-9 ½ (11.52m).
 
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Charles Hicks at Millrose. Photo by David Hicks.

NEW YORK – Charles Hicks got an opportunity to race at the prestigious Millrose Games at The Armory in Washington Heights and placed 12th in the men's 3,000 in a personal best 7:59.02. 

Hicks was among three collegians racing in an otherwise pro field. He held sixth place in the early laps before the pace quickened and the pack strung out. It was the first indoor race for Hicks in two years and the first appearance by a Stanford athlete since Grant Fisher won the 3,000 in 2019. 

Stanford signees swept the high school invitational miles. Gavin Sherry won the boys' race in a meet record 4:06.58, and Juliette Whittaker (4:47.14) and Riley Stewart (4:47.22) went 1-2 in the girls' race. 

Another future Cardinal, Roisin Willis, placed fourth in the women's 800 against a mostly pro field. Willis ran 2:03.28, taking the national high school season lead. 
 
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Millrose Games
At The Armory
(200-meter banked track)
Stanford-affiliated results

Men
3,000 – 12, Charles Hicks (Stanford) 7:59.02 (PB).
High School Invitational Mile – 1, Gavin Sherry 4:06.58; 7, Callum Sherry 4:13.47.

Women
800 – 4, Roisin Willis '26 2:03.28; 6, Olivia Baker '18 2:06.11.
Mile – 8, Ella Donaghu '20 4:30.27.
High School Invitational Mile – 1, Juliette Whittaker 4:47.14; 2, Riley Stewart 4:47.22; 10, Ava Parekh 4:52.31.