It's a good start to promising season It's a good start to promising season (March 30, 2005)

The sport's past, present and future leave their marks on the 31st annual Stanford Invitational

by Keith Peters

The past, present and future of track and field gathered at the 31st annual Stanford Invitational track and field meet last weekend at Cobb Track & Angell Field.

The past was represented by former Stanford track coach Payton Jordan, who was on hand to sign his new autobiography, "Champions for Life." The 88-year-old Jordan was honored for his past contributions to the sport.

The present came in the form of 2004 U.S. Olympians Nicole Teter and Jonathon Johnson, who went through their early season paces while winning their respective events. Jill Camarena, a 2004 Olympic team member, also was on hand and captured her specialty - the women's shot put.

And the future? It could have been any number of the thousands of college and high school athletes who competed in the annual carnival that produced a number of meet records and national bests.

Menlo School senior Libby Jenke and Menlo-Atherton senior Evan Anderson certainly represent the sport's future, as does Stanford-bound Alicia Follmar of Saratoga. All three turned in impressive efforts during the two-day meet that saw some 4,000 high school, college and post-collegiate athletes competing.

Jenke, who last month became the second-fastest high school 800 girl indoors (2:07.47) in state history, didn't have a two-lapper to run at Stanford but made due. She won the 400 hurdles in 1:01.88 and clocked a personal record and Central Coast Section-leading 56.90 while finishing third overall in the 400.

"Both were good for speed," Jenke said of her training runs. "The 400 was a PR and I ran that very, very well. It keeps things exciting."

Jenke already has run 2:11.88 outdoors and should surpass her best of 2:10.97 while taking second in the state meet last year. She said her indoor season set the foundation for what's ahead.

"I'm really excited for what I accomplished indoors," said Jenke. "I want to go faster than that outdoors."

The nation's fastest time last season by a prep girls was 2:04.94.

Anderson, meanwhile, is also on the fast track for good times this season. He's already approaching his personal record of 4:15.73 in the 1,600 meters after taking second in the mile (a CCS-leading 4:16.94) at Stanford on Saturday. Since a 4:17 mile converts to a 4:15.5 time in the 1,600, Anderson is on pace to break his own school record this season.

Follmar, who'll feel right at home next season as a member of the Stanford track team, continued her success at the Stanford Invitational by holding off a strong field to win the girls' mile in a state-leading 4:54.30.

In a step up from the prep competition, collegiate standouts Virginia Powell of USC and Michael Robertson of Stanford unleashed some fine early season efforts to win their respective events.

Powell won the women's 100 hurdles in 12.95, fastest in the world this season. In only her second outdoor race of the season, Powell erased her personal best of 13.02.

"I'm excited," Powell said, "but it makes me want to keep working, because it's early . . . I've been in the 13s for three years. I've been waiting for the 12 to come out."

Robertson, who transferred to Stanford when Southern Methodist dropped its track and field program last year, is the nation's top returning collegiate thrower in the men's discus. He threw 212-10 last season. Robertson made his Stanford debut a winning one with a toss of 192-8 on Saturday. That makes him No. 4 in school history.

As for the Olympians, the Palo Alto-based Teter won the women's 1,500 in 4:12.77 and ran a leg on the Farm Team's 1,600 relay team.

"It was a good opener," said Teter, who ran the 800 in Athens last summer. "I'm looking at this year to be a fantastic year. I want to run well each race, to make each race what I can."

Johnson, the Texas Tech standout and top returning collegiate 800 runner this season, made his 2005 outdoor debut a successful one by winning the men's 800 easily in 1:46.78. Johnson's goals this season include winning the NCAA outdoor 800 title, a U.S. national crown and earning a berth on the USA team that competes at the World Championships this August in Helsinki, Finland.

Camarena, the Stanford grad who made the U.S. Olympic team but didn't compete in Athens after falling short of the qualifying standard, will take another shot at competing on the international stage this summer. She took a nice first step toward that with a season-opening win of 55-6 1/2 in the women's shot put.

Stanford's Janice Davis won the women's 100 (11.53) and 200 (23.62) while teammate Nashonme Johnson took the 400 in 53.95 to highlight Cardinal efforts Saturday.

In the men's college events, Stanford's Nick Sebes won the 400 in 47.51 and freshman Wopamo Osaisai equaled the No. 5 time in school history by taking third in the 100 meters in 10.48.

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