CBU Makes Big Statement at West Coast Relays

Friday, April 1

Clovis, Calif.

1:10 PM

California Baptist University

West Coast Relays

Photo by: Andrew Shortall

CBU Makes Big Statement at West Coast Relays

4/1/2022 9:24:00 PM | Cross Country & Track

Results

By: Andrew Shortall, Director of Athletics Communications

FRESNO – California Baptist University track made a statement at Fresno State's West Coast Relays on Friday at Veterans Memorial Stadium. On the day, the Lancers logged four wins, seven podium finishes, five top-three times in program history and a new CBU record and top time in NCAA Division I this season.

#️⃣1️⃣ 𝙄𝙉 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘾𝙊𝙐𝙉𝙏𝙍𝙔 🤯🤯🤯

Greta Karinauskaite shatters what was the @NCAATrackField's top 3000m steeplechase time this season coming into today by more than 🔟 seconds, with a PR of 9:51.43. #LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/O5uilufzxj
— CBU XC & Track (@CBUXCTF) April 2, 2022

Greta Karinauskaite provided the highlight of the entire meet, as she wowed everyone in the stadium during the 3000 meter steeplechase. She ran the best time in the country this year, with a victorious time of nine minutes, 51.43 seconds. There was a 29-second gap between her and the runner-up, Colorado State's Emily Chaston (10:20.48).

🚨 𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗗 𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗧 🚨

No surprise here, Greta Karinauskaite obliterates CBU's 3000m steeplechase record by nearly 30 seconds with her 9:51.43, as she becomes the first woman to break 10 minutes in Lancer history. #LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/0kP4kXgADf
— CBU XC & Track (@CBUXCTF) April 2, 2022

Karinauskaite's run shattered the country's previous top time in the event this year (10:01.65) set by Villanova's Lydia Olivere by more than 10 seconds. It also obliterated the CBU record of 10:22.80 – set by Emeline Delanis in 2018 – by nearly 30 seconds , as she became the first woman to break 10 minutes in the race.

On the men's side, the Lancers saved their best for last in the 5K Invitational. CBU swept first through fifth, saw three runners break 14 minutes and nine set new top-10 times in program history in the event.

Said Mechaal won the race in 13:55.33 for the second-best time any Lancer has ever run. Ivo Balabanov (13:56.55) and Giedrius Valincius (13:57.76) finished right behind for the third and fourth-best times in the CBU record book.

WHAT A WAY TO END THE NIGHT 🙌

CBU sweeps first through fifth in the 5K, three Lancers break 14 minutes and nine set new top-🔟 times in program history. #LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/e2yJ6L76Ap
— CBU XC & Track (@CBUXCTF) April 2, 2022

Matias Reynaga (14:02.59) and Arturs Medveds (14:02.74) fourth and fifth in the race for the fifth and sixth-best times in program lore. Rikus Van Niekerk also logged the ninth-best mark in CBU history when he took eighth in 14:09.24.

Anneken Viljoen pulled off a tough assignment in the 800 and 1500 meters on Friday. She used a strong kick over the final lap to pick up a personal record and a win in the 1500 to start things off, and took second in her heat and eighth overall with another PR in the 800.

🥇🥇🥇

A strong kick leads Anneken Viljoen to a PR and win in the 1500 meter with a time of 4:24.58, which is the #⃣3⃣ time in program history❗️ #LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/TrhsEE4YWJ
— CBU XC & Track (@CBUXCTF) April 1, 2022

Viljoen took first place in 1500 by .08 of a second with a time of four minutes, 24.572 seconds as she leaned in front of Colorado State's Anna Petr (4:24.58). She nearly won her heat again in the 800 after getting out to a very strong start before she crossed in a personal best 2:11.29.

On the men's side, Florian Le Pallec comeback bid on frontrunner Colorado State's Jacob Brueckman was just not enough. Le Pallec set a new personal record and top-three time in CBU history in 3:44.50, which was good for runner-up as Brueckman won in 3:43.81.

😤😤😤

Florian Le Pallec battles it out in the final lap to take second in the 1500 meter with a new personal best of 3:44.50, a top-three time in CBU history. #LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/9V1ES6DpKs
— CBU XC & Track (@CBUXCTF) April 1, 2022

Carlota Rodes and Emilia Mikszuta headlined an impressive run from CBU in the women's 5K Invitational. Rodes took fourth in 16:23.44, the third-best time in team history, while Mikszuta finished sixth (16:37.25) with the sixth-best mark for the Lancers. Cynthia Martin (16:58.68, 10^th) also break 17 minutes into the race, while Karin Gosek took 11^th in 17:03.92.

The Lancers had a total of 10 runners in the top-16 of the men's 5K Invitational, with Massimiliano Berti (11^th, 14:19.32); Dylan Van Der Hock (12^th, 14:20.27); Luis Chavez (13^th, 14:31.71) and Zlatko Kozuhar (16^th, 14:50.08) all adding to the depth.

Prior to the invite, Tyler Tickner won the 5,000 meter all on his own in 15:01.14 – a near three-second improvement on his previous PR (15:04.10) and six seconds in front of the runner-up (15:07.51). He also took 12^th in the 1500 meter (4:00.21) earlier in the day.

Two other Lancers finished top eight in the 1500. Liudmila Rudzko took fifth place in 4:34.57. Mia Cabrera came in eighth in the 1500 (4:43.63) and 12^th in the 800 (2:13.35).

UP NEXT
CBU has a busy schedule next week, as it will run at the Mt. SAC Relays on Wednesday, April 13 through Friday, April 15 and also have representatives at Azusa Pacific's Bryan Clay Invitational on Wednesday, April 13, as well.