On A Day When A Few Newcomers Made Their First Splash For The Ducks, Veteran Elliott Cook Wins Twice

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

EUGENE – Elliott Cook hadn't raced in more than three and a half months, but the Oregon junior resurfaced at Hayward Field with an impressive double on a cool, damp day at the Oregon Preview. 

Cook won the 1,500 meters in 3:42.85 for a very early national leading time and then he came back about 90 minutes later for the 800, moving from last to first in the final lap, to win again in 1:50.49.

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"It was a little bit of a rust-buster for sure," Cook said. "But overall I'm pretty happy with the statement that I made for myself."

Freshman Simeon Birnbaum, the Track and Field News Boys High School Athlete of 2023, made his debut for the Ducks track team in the 1,500 and finished second in 3:45.27, just ahead of teammate Matthew Erickson, who was third in 3:45.38. 

Birnbaum admitted it has not been easy staying patient while waiting to get his collegiate racing career started. After an unattached appearance at the Bill Dellinger Cross Country Invitational last September, the sub-four miler from Rapid City Stevens SD redshirted the cross country season and then the indoor track season. 

"I was excited by extremely nervous (this morning)," Birnbaum said. "This is the longest break I've had between races since maybe when I started running in the sixth grade."

Birnbaum was unimpressed with his performance and recalled that he didn't run very fast in the first part of 2023 either. 

"Sometimes at the beginning of the year I just suck, it's as simple as that," he said. "It's not very good."

Birnbaum, who competed at the USATF Outdoor Championships in the men's 1,500 meters last summer, has set high standards for himself. He'll get another opportunity next week, presumably in better weather, at Stanford. 

Another freshman, Harrison Rheinhardt, served as pacer in both the 1,500 meters and 800 meters and didn't, yet, get a real race in. 

On the women's side, freshman Ella Thorsett made a strong first impression with a personal best time of 4:28.58 for second place. Thorsett tried to close down a big gap on Portland's Courtney Klatt, who won in 4:28.44. 

Transfer Samantha McDonnell won her first race at Hayward in an Oregon uniform, taking the 800 in 2:09.06. 

Oregon's Taylor Chocek ran a PR time of 13.59 for a victory in the women's 100-meter hurdles. 

In the women's discus, Oregon's Jaida Ross (181-6) and Shelby Moran (169-6) launched some big throws to go 1-2 in the competition. 

Central Washington's E'lexis Hollis swept the women's sprints and won the 100 meters in 11.77 seconds and the 200 in 24.60, edging out Chocek (24.63). 

Wakilli Bennett of Dominican (Calif.) won the men's 100 meters in 10.52 seconds.