Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Stanford Invitational
Schwanz, Sears set school records
4/1/2016 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
By: Matt Burkholder
mburkholder@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
STANFORD, Calif. - The Fresno State track and field team made its presence known at the highly regarded Stanford Invitational behind a pair of school records set by Annemarie Schwanz (5000-meter) and Je'Nia Sears (long jump). Additionally, Keane Bland sprinted his way to the 110m hurdle finals and Kyra Johnson won in the 400m hurdles.
"All in all, it was a really good day and a lot to be proud of," said head coach Scott Winsor.
Schwanz and Sears entered the Stanford Invitational as Fresno State's school record holders in their respective events, and the duo shattered their previous bests.
Schwanz clocked a 16:05.58 in the 5000m, breaking her previous PR of 16:23.63 set last season at the 2015 edition of the Stanford Invitational. The junior placed second out of 23 runners in the third heat of four 5000m races on Friday.
"Annemarie keeps getting better every time she steps on the track," Winsor said. "I can't even keep up with how many school records she owns now. She is running very strong and the sky is the limit for her."
Sears registered a 6.33m (20'-9.25") mark in the long jump to win the Invitational section of the Stanford Invitational. She broke her own school record she set at the 2014 Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays (6.27m).
"Je'Nia has been really close," Winsor said about Sears and her quest to break her old record. "She's been fouling some big ones that have been right there. She was inches away at our home meet, and she barely fouled again today before going on to jump 20 feet, 9.25 inches. She's making great breakthroughs, she's hitting her acceleration zone and attack phase with much more confidence and letting the sand come to her, rather than her go to the sand. Things are getting a little bit better every time she jumps and I think she's about ready to hit a really big one."
Other notable performances from the women's side included Johnson running a season-best in the 400mH. She posted a 59.22-second time to beat out 14 others for the top time at the Stanford Invite.
Njeri Omawahleh set her second PR of the 2016 season thanks to a 55.30-second time in the 400m dash. She clocked an 11.93 in the 100m last time out for her first PR of the season.
On the men's side, Bland qualified for Saturday's 110mH finals with a 14.31-second time. It was the third-best time of 27 to compete in the prelims. Kamara Biawogi sprinted to a 53.31-second time in the 400mH to place ninth out of 28.
The Stanford Invitational gets back underway on Saturday at 9 a.m. The Bulldogs are set to compete in seven events, starting a 1 p.m. with Vanja Spaic in the javelin.
ALL RESULTS:
Men's Team
110mH: Keane Bland, 14.31
400mH: Kamara Biawogi, 53.31
Women's Team
400m: Njeri Omawahleh, 55.30*; Nailah Harris-Murillo, 56.22; Kimberley Efonye, 57.21
5000m: Annemarie Schwanz, 16:05.58**
400mH: Kyra Johnson, 59.22
Long Jump: Je'Nia Sears, 6.33m (20-09.75)**
Shot Put: Kayla Hopkins, 13.76m (45-01.75)
* indicates personal record
** indicates personal record and school record
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2016 S.F. State Distance Carnival Results 
SAN FRANCISCO - Ten members of the Fresno State men's track and field team made their way to the San Francisco State Distance Carnival on Friday, four of those 10 walked away with new personal records.
The 800-meter was the strongest event with the deepest field for the 'Dogs. Esteban Vega placed ninth out of 121 individuals by clocking a personal-best 1:51.94. Uriel Cabanas was just off Vega's mark, registering a 1:52.90 that placed him 21st - it was short of his 2015 PR (1:52.13). Jack Kuzminsky was 43rd with a 1:55.96 PR and teammate Jacob Schwarm croosed the finish line just after Kuzminsky, to place 44th with a 1:56.10.
Joel Gonzalez set a new personal best in the 3000m steeplechase with a 9:38.94, while Clay Celum finished the same race with a time of 10:11.99.
The fourth PR was Cooper Gill in the 10,000m run. Gill clocked a 31:23.32, although Matt Kwiatkowski was the Bulldog standout in the event, who timed in at 30:19.97. A mark that was 18th best out of 93 runners.
ALL RESULTS:
Men's Team
800m: Esteban Vega, 1:51.94*; Uriel Cabanas, 1:52.90; Jack Kuzminsky, 1:55.96*; Jacob Schwarm, 1:56.10; Chriss Grimble, 1:56.78
1500m: Chirss Grimble, 3:54.74
3000m Steeplechase: Joel Gonzalez, 9:38.94*; Clay Celum, 10:11.99
5000m: Clay Celum, 15:20.85
10000m: Matt Kwiatkowski, 30:19.97; Cooper Gill, 31:23.32*; Nathaniel Esparza, 31:25.93
Women's Team
None
* indicates personal record
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