Huskies Win Nine Events At Pepsi Team Invite

Published by UW SID on April 9th, 2016

Complete Results

EUGENE, Ore. – The Husky track and field squad paid a visit to Hayward Field for the first time this year, and walked out with an impressive nine victories at the Pepsi Team Invitational. Against a field that included Oregon, USC, and Penn State, Washington had one of its most successful days at Hayward, including winning every distance race from 1,500-meters up.

A crowd of 5,423 fans at the Hayward season opener saw the Huskies cross the line first in six races, along with three wins in the field events. The team battles were close throughout, with the Oregon women getting the win with 173 points, Penn State second at 166, and the Huskies third with 164, ahead of USC, fourth at 134. Penn State and Oregon tied for the men’s title with 181.5 points, with the Husky men third with 168 ahead of USC with 94.

The ninth and final individual win of the day for the Dawgs was a big one, as sophomore All-American Colby Gilbert opened his outdoor season with a flourish in the 5,000-meters. Running in a field that featured Oregon’s 13-time NCAA Champion Edward Cheserek, Gilbert took the lead with three laps to go and Cheserek sat right behind him as they pulled away from the rest of the field. With 200-meters to go, Gilbert put on a burst, and Cheserek did not make a push to respond, with Gilbert pulling away to win in a new career-best of 13:44.96. That time moves him to No. 4 in the NCAA this season, and is the second-fastest in UW school history behind the 13:40.61 of David Bazzi from 2001.

“I knew I just had to get grinding early, he’s got a massive kick,” said Gilbert of Cheserek. “I don’t know if he really let loose on me, but if I want to beat him I’ve got to go early and drag it out a bit, and I’ve got a decent kick, too. I was hoping it was good enough, and it was today. I’ve been training really hard … and to be building and be able to compete at this high level against him is awesome.”