Newcomer Van Klinken sets record as Oregon track and field opens indoor season
Jorinde Van Klinken had a record-setting debut as a Duck Saturday afternoon in Seattle.
Van Klinken, a transfer from Arizona State, broke the Oregon school record in the women’s shot put, one of seven top-three finishes for the Ducks at the UW Preview meet during what was their season-opening weekend of indoor track and field.
Van Klinken led a 1-2-5 finish for the UO women, setting the school record with a mark of 59 feet, 5 inches on her first attempt.
Van Klinken is the reigning NCAA champion in the event and was named to The Bowerman preseason watch list earlier this week.
Jaida Ross also set a personal-record and finished second with a mark of 57-1 as she moved into a tie as the No. 2 performer is school history. Mine De Klerk, in the first indoor meet of her career, was fifth with a mark of 51-4¼ to move into eighth-place all-time at Oregon.
Izzy Thornton-Bott ran a PR of 9 minutes, 13.70 seconds in the 3,000, taking more than 12 seconds off her previous best (9:26.16) from last season. Eugene native Maddy Elmore was sixth in 9:20.05.
Oregon got runner-up finishes from Matthew Erickson in the men's 600 (1:18.96), and Mason Strunk in the men's weight throw (60-7¾). Elliott Cook, the reigning Pac-12 champion in the men's 800, was third overall in the 1,000 (2:20.17).
Sprinters shine in Spokane
Jadyn Mays swept the women’s 60 and 200 during the Cougar Classic in Spokane on Friday, and Olympian Micah Williams also earned a win in his first race of 2023.
Mays, who was third at last year’s NCAA Indoor Championships, began her day with win in the 60 in 7.25, then returned to win the 200 in a PR 23.18 to move her to No. 8 on the UO top-10 list.
Williams, the fastest qualifier in the prelims, ran 6.54 in the final to get the win.
Freshman hurdler Aaliyah McCormick ran 8.20 in the 60 hurdles prelims to take over the No. 5 spot on the Oregon top-10 list. She came back to finish third in the final in 8.23.
Eugene native Taylor Chocek finished sixth in the 60 hurdles in a PR 8.52, and in the final event, the 4x400 relay team of Shaniya Hall, Ella Clayton, Jordyn Blake and Katriina Wright ran 3:39.80 to finish second.
Follow Chris Hansen on Twitter @chansen_RG or email at chansen@registerguard.com.
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This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Van Klinken sets record as Oregon Ducks open track and field season
