Four takeaways from the Payton Jordan Invitational on Sunday
The Payton Jordan Invitational, one of the biggest track events so far in 2016, at Stanford University took place on Sunday evening with big results.
The Payton Jordan Invitational at Stanford University in Palo, Alto, Calif. is one of the best track competitions of the year and 2016 was no exception. There were plenty of Canadians in action including collegiates and professionals at Payton on Sunday evening.
RELATED: Warming up for the track workout with Eric Gillis.
Here are four takeaways from the event including notable performance from Canadians and other results from the most competitive meet on the track circuit so far in 2016. Many Canadians travelled to Palo Alto from Flagstaff, Ariz. where they spent time training at altitude.
Justyn Knight is fast and continues to break records
Syracuse University student Justyn Knight continues to break school records and on Sunday evening ran 13:27.23, a new lifetime best in the event. He’s only 19 and is hoping to qualify for the Rio Olympics this summer. The 13:27 broke the previous Syracuse record.
.@justyn_knight breaks his own @Cuse 5000m record with a time of 13:27.23 to finish 10th at the Payton Jordan Invite! #OrangeNation
— Syracuse XC/Track (@CuseXCTF) May 2, 2016
Canada: @justyn_knight is going to be great. He nearly qualified for #Rio tonight. He’s 19 years old.
— CanadianRunning (@CanadianRunning) May 2, 2016
RELATED: Why some workouts are best left undone.
Canada already has three athletes to have hit the Olympic 5,000m standard (13:25.00). With athletes like Knight, Luc Bruchet, Ross Proudfoot, Charles Philibert-Thiboutot and Peter Corrigan having run under 13:40, the race to the Olympic Games is expected to heat up this spring.
A photo posted by Justyn Knight (@justyn.knight) on
The Canadian record in the women’s steeplechase may be in jeopardy this season
Geneviève Lalonde ran just five seconds off the Canadian record in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase, a record that was set in 2014 by Jessica Furlan (9:33.45), notable because it was run early in the season. Many runners perform at their best in the summer because of ideal conditions and with more training under their belt.
Furlan, Lalonde and Erin Teschuk all have the Olympic qualifying standard in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase. Other steeplechase athletes in the mix include Chantelle Groenewoud, Maria Bernard and Regan Yee (not an exhaustive list by any means, however).
#PaytonJordan W 3000m Steeplechase: Great race for Gen Lalonde @lalongen finishing 2nd in 9:38.88 #ACRoadToRio pic.twitter.com/JePUwrYY0X
— Athletics Canada (@AthleticsCanada) May 2, 2016
A photo posted by Geneviève Lalonde (@lalongen7) on
There’s no stopping American Bernard Lagat
Kenyan-born Bernard Lagat, who now represents the U.S. internationally, ran the 10,000m at Payton Jordan on Sunday evening and set a new masters world record. The 41-year-old improved the previous record by 40 seconds. Not only did he set the record in his 10K debut, the Olympic medallist also won the race.
27:49 for @Lagat1500‘s 10k debut!! World master’s record!! #PaytonJordan pic.twitter.com/o6CYIdsV7j
— FloTrack (@FloTrack) May 2, 2016
Canadian distance running’s future is looking bright
In events ranging from the 800m, particularly strong on the women’s side at Payton Jordan, up to the 10,000m, highlighted by Lanni Marchant’s 32-minute clocking, there were plenty of strong results from Canadians either hitting the Olympic standard in their respective disciplines or being just off the mark.
Full results can be found here.
Check out the latest buyer's guide:
