Silan Ayyildiz, Wilma Nielsen Lead Deep Field In Women's 1,500 Meters; Jaida Ross Set To Open Outdoor Season

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Becky Holbrook/Kim Spir Photos

LIVE RESULTS

With the start of the Big Ten Outdoor Championships less than a week away, the Oregon track and field teams will use their annual Twilight Meet at Hayward Field as preparation for the conference meet and beyond. 

Many of Oregon's top performers are set to compete during a high-quality afternoon and evening session that begins with the women's javelin at 1 p.m. Pacific on Friday. Track events begin at 4:20 p.m. There will be a ceremony on the track to honor Oregon's outgoing seniors as well as veteran officials. 

The featured events are the men's and women's 1,500 meters. 

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Silan Ayyildiz and Wilma Nielsen of Oregon, two of the NCAA's top runners and central figures in the Ducks' effort to reclaim the Big Ten title in Nebraska next week, lead a lineup that includes 10 women who have run 4:10 or faster.

Christina Aragon and Kaylee Mitchell of the Nike Oregon Track Club, and Ell Leather of Great Britain, add firepower and pace to the front. 

NCAA 1,500 meters record holder Simeon Birnbaum is entered in the 800 meters on Friday and will matchup with talented freshman Bodey Lutes along with program veterans Elliott Cook and James Harding. 

Without Birnbaum in the McChesney 1,500, a slew of other Ducks will test their training in what could be a very competitive race. Justyn Knight and Thomas Ratcliffe of the Nike Oregon Track Club lead a field that also includes Cook, Benjamin Balazs, Luke Tewalt, Tomas Palfrey, Tayson Echohawk, Jeffery Rogers and Anthony Fasthorse. 

Claire Petersen of Utah State leads the field in the women's 100 hurdles. 

Klaudia Kazimierska, now of the Nike Oregon Track Club, is racing the 400 meters. 

Gabija Galvydyte of the Nike Oregon Track Club will try to make it a fast race in the women's 800 meters with Oregon sophomore Ali Ince and redshirts Samantha McDonnell and Allura Markow in the race. 

Emmanuel Wells Jr, who made the U.S. team for the 2025 World Indoor Championships, is the top entry in the men's 100. 

Emily Fitzsimmons, who sits third on th Big Ten women's pole vault list, will look to improve upon the 4.48m (14-8.25) that she jumped three weeks ago. 

Utah State's Logan Hammer, 10th on the NCAA list. leads the men's pole vault entries.

Oregon will welcome back Paris Olympian Jaida Ross of the Nike Oregon Track Club, who will open her outdoor season in the women's shot put. 

Cody Wheeler of Whitworth, No. 5 on the NCAA D3 list, is the top entry in the men's javelin.

Oregon freshman Hayden Williams-Downing will return to Hayward Field after placing second in the women's javelin at the Oregon Team Invitational. 

Oregon alum Shelby Moran will try to keep her momentum going in the women's hammer after throwing a lifetime best 73.02m (239-6) last weekend in Corvallis. 

Oregon throwers Benjamin Smith and Kobe Lawrence are looking to improve their marks in the discus, again, with an eye on scoring points at the conference meet. 

Oregon freshmen Alicia Khunou, Marie Josee Bovele-Linaka and Taylor Wiseman are in the women's discus.

Ryann Porter and Tre Betts of Oregon lead the entries in the women's and men's triple jump competitions.