Cherotich Wins Big Ten 10,000 Meters

Friday, May 16

Eugene, OR

All Day

University of Oregon

Big Ten Outdoor Championships

Diana Cherotich, Big Ten 10,000m champion (May 16)

05/16/25 | Track and Field

Meet Results | Day 1

Aiden Smith was runner-up in the men’s 10,000 meters.

EUGENE, Ore. – Freshman Diana Cherotich took down the Big Ten Championships meet record on her way to winning the 10,000 meters Friday night at Hayward Field. Aiden Smith and Pat Vialva were the men's top finishers at 10,000 meters and in the javelin, respectively, and the UO men are second with 27 points after day one of the conference meet.

The 2025 Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships continue Saturday, beginning with the sixth event of the decathlon—the 110-meter hurdles—at 9:30 a.m. The lone running final on day two is the men's and women's 3,000-meter steeplechase. In addition to the multis, field event champions will be crowned in the men's high jump, men's and women's long jump, men's shot put and women's discus.

Tickets for the Big Ten weekend and the upcoming NCAA Championships (June 11-14) are currently on sale.

Cherotich's victory puts the Women of Oregon in fourth place after two events scored at the Big Ten Championships. She nearly pulled off her second sub-32:00 outing of the season, stopping the clock in 32:00.48 which took more than 41 seconds off the previous meet record (32:41.65) set by Michigan's Erin Finn in 2014.

Friday marked the seventh time a UO woman has won a conference title at 10,000 meters. Cherotich becomes the sixth Oregon conference champion in the event, joining the group of Stephanie Wessell (1990-91), Melody Fairchild (1996), Nicole Blood (2010), Alex Kosinski (2012) and Carmela Cardama Baez (2021).

The Men of Oregon racked up 23 points in the 10,000 meters, paced by Smith's runner-up finish. In a near stride-for-stride battle down the stretch, Smith and eventual winner Evan Jenkins of Washington both fell over the finish line to decide the title. The Ducks' collection of points were bolstered by Evan Bishop in third place, Evan Burke in fourth, Abdel Laadjel in sixth and Quincy Norman in eighth.

The Ducks' first points of the weekend came from Vialva's season-best performance in the javelin. He got the implement out to a 70.81m/232-3 measure for fifth place and four points for the UO men. The third-round toss was his first over 70 meters this season. All told, Vialva had three throws beyond his season's best coming into the meet.

After day one of competition in the multis, Oregon finds itself in the lead of both the heptathlon and decathlon. Annika Williams, aided by season bests in the 100-meter hurdles and high jump, has 3,635 points and takes a 99-point lead over Melissa Wullschleger of Illinois into the final three events: long jump, javelin and 800 meters.

On the men's side, Koby Kessler topped 4,000 points on day one of the decathlon with the benefit of lifetime bests in the 100 meters, high jump and shot put. The Canby, Ore., native scored 4,028 points Friday. He is joined in scoring position by teammate Aiden Carter, currently in eighth place with 3,753 points. Day two of the decathlon features the 110-meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500 meters.

The men's distance crew got its night started by advancing four to the final of the 1500 meters. Three Ducks—Rheinhardt Harrison, Simeon Birnbaum, Koitatoi Kidali—were automatic qualifiers while Evan Dorenkamp was the fastest on-time qualifier to secure his spot in Sunday's championship race.

Silan Ayyildiz and Mia Barnett were the two fastest women out of Friday's prelims, each winning their respective heat to advance to the final. Barnett is scheduled for double duty, returning to the track on Saturday for the preliminary round of the 800 meters.

The UO women picked up its first finalist of the meet by way of freshman Annaleise Taylor in the 400-meter hurdles. The Goodyear, Ariz., native finished third in her heat with a time of 59.59 and grabbed one of the three at-large bids into Sunday's final.

MEN
200 Meters
18. Mihaly Akpamgbo – 21.13 (PB)

1500 Meters
1. Rheinhardt Harrison – 3:42.27Q
3. Evan Dorenkamp – 3:42.88q
31. Simeon Birnbaum – 3:56.61Q
32. Koitatoi Kidali – 3:56.82Q

10,000 Meters - final
2. Aiden Smith – 29:24.65 [8 points]
3. Evan Bishop – 29:25.13 [6 points]
4. Evan Burke – 29:26.10 [5 points]
6. Abdel Laadjel – 29:27.42 [3 points]
8. Quincy Norman – 29:28.15 [1 point]

Pole Vault
--. Kyle Gibbs – NH

Javelin
5. Pat Vialva – 70.81m/232-3 (SB) [4 points]
14. Zach Young – 56.61m/185-8

Decathlon
1. Koby Kessler – 4,028 points
               1. 100 Meters – 10.69 (PB) [931 points]
               1. Long Jump – 7.37m/24-2.25 [903]
               10. Shot Put – 12.41m/40-8.75 (PB) [631]
               2. High Jump – 2.02m/6-7.5 (PB) [822]
               12. 400 Meters – 51.62 [741]
8. Aiden Carter
               11. 100 Meters – 11.28 (-1.5) [799 points]
               5. Long Jump – 7.12m/23-4.5 [842]
               9. Shot Put – 12.41m/40-8.75 (PB) [631]
               9. High Jump – 1.87m/6-1.5 [687]
               9. 400 Meters – 50.44 (PB) [794]
14. Arthur Katahdin
               8. 100 Meters – 11.10 [838 points]
               16. Long Jump – 6.08m/19-11.5 [604]
               11. Shot Put – 11.98m/39-3.75 (SB) [605]
               15. High Jump – 1.66m/5-5.25 [512]
               5. 400 Meters – 49.69 (PB) [829]

WOMEN
200 Meters
18. Shaniya Hall – 24.14

1500 Meters
1. Silan Ayyildiz – 4:15.52Q
2. Mia Barnett – 4:15.91Q
20. Allura Markow – 4:24.59

10,000 Meters
1. Diana Cherotich – 32:00.48 (MR) [10 points]
--. Juliet Cherubet – DNF

400m Hurdles
7. Annaleise Taylor – 59.59q

Heptathlon – Day 1
1. Annika Williams – 3,635 points
               8. 100m Hurdles – 14.02 (-0.7, SB) [976 points]
               2. High Jump – 1.78m/5-10 (SB) [953]
               2. Shot Put – 14.15m/46-5.25 [804]
               9. 200 Meters – 24.83 [902]

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