Fischer breaks CSU indoor 5,000 meters record to highlight action at Husky Classic, Don Kirby Invitational

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SEATTLE, Wash./ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Senior Grant Fischer of the Colorado State track & field team broke the program record in the indoor 5,000 meters to highlight performances by Rams at the Husky Classic and Don Kirby Invitational on Friday. The Husky Classic, where Fischer ran his record-breaking time, was held from Dempsey Indoor, while the Don Kirby Invitational was held from the Albuquerque Convention Center.

Fischer's record-breaking time in the 5,000 was 13:44.24, topping the record previously set by Jerrell Mock (13:44,65) one year ago at the same meet. Fischer had run the previously No. 2 time on CSU's all-time indoor list (13:46.58) at that same meet where Mock broke the record, as each had topped the standard previously set by Ben Larson (13:58.85) in 2015.

Fischer's time from Friday would qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships in any of the past five years, and would have ranked as one of the NCAA's top-eight times in each of the past two. The Fort Collins, Colo., native placed sixth overall in the event (No. 5 collegian), but no athlete in the NCAA had run a time within 13 seconds of Fischer's time prior to Friday night (13:57.27 by Indiana's Ben Veatch on Dec. 8, 2017). Furthermore, the fastest time by any athlete in the world prior to Friday was 13:49.55 by New Zealand's Julian Oakley.

The performance from Fischer led a plethora of all-time top times run by CSU's men in the 5,000. Sophomore Eric Hamer was the next-fastest Ram in the event, as he finished second in his heat with a time of 14:15.07, the sixth-best on CSU's all-time indoor list. Freshman Maximilliano Martinez was next, clocking the No. 9 time on CSU's all-time indoor list (14:24.20) in his collegiate indoor 5,000 debut. Four more Rams registered all-time top-20 times in the event on Friday: senior Luke Giugliano (No. 11 – 14:25.57), senior Justin Weinmeister (No. 12 - 14:26.88), sophomore Satchel Caldwell (No. 13 - 14:29.11) and sophomore Forrest Barton (No. 18 - 14:41.01)

On the women's side, senior Darby Gilfillan placed 31st in the Husky Classic 5,000 with a time of 16:36.75, a time that is just over 14 seconds off her program-record personal best and behind only two other athletes in program history. Junior Ali Kallner finished the event in 17:10.97, which ranks 15th on CSU's all-time indoor list.

Highlighting action on day one of the Don Kirby Invitational were performances by Rams in the women's weight throw. Each of Aimee Larrabee and Linnea Jonsson registered personal bests, throwing the weight 63-9.5 (19.44m) and 62-5 (19.02m), respectively. Larrabee's mark ranks seventh on CSU's all-time indoor list, while Jonsson's ranks ninth. Larrabee placed fourth in the event, while Kelcey Bedard (63-6.25/19.36m) placed fifth and Jonsson placed seventh. On the men's side, senior Alex Blaho placed third with a personal-best mark of 62-5.75 (19.04m), which ranks 18th on CSU's all-time indoor list.

The top event in the sprints for the Rams was the women's 400 meters, where freshman Jessica Ozoude ran a personal-best 55.62 to finish as the top Division I runner and third overall. Fellow freshman Jasmine Chesson placed fifth with a personal-best 55.87, while yet another freshman, Annemarie Carlson, stopped the clock in 57.65 for another personal best. Ozoude's time ties for the fourth-best (shared with Wendy Knudson) on CSU's all-time indoor list, while Chesson's ranks seventh and Carlson's places 19th.

IN THEIR WORDS
Colorado State head coach Brian Bedard
On the team's performance at the Don Kirby Invitational:
"We came in looking for some big marks today, and we had a few in the weight throw, which was good to see. To have four women reach the finals of the weight throw at the Don Kirby was good to see as well. We had some areas that I thought we underperformed in today, but I'm looking forward to seeing what we can get done tomorrow."

Colorado State distance coach Art Siemers
On the team's performance at the Husky Classic:
"I was really proud of all of our guys in the 5k tonight. Each of those guys made our top 20 list, which is exciting because it means they're all on and ran personal bests. They're starting to come into form and hopefully we'll just keep rolling until conference. We have some up-and-coming young guys that have a chance to travel to sea-level competition and they're taking advantage of their opportunities. We'll keep it rolling tomorrow."

On Grant Fischer:
"Grant really wanted that school record. He's never had a school record before – college, high school, middle school, he told me. For a former walk-on to come out here in pretty much his one chance to get the school record…he just executed. The pace was slow early but he just stayed composed throughout the race and got it done."

NOTES
- Between the women's and men's 5,000 meters, nine active Rams are now on CSU's all-time indoor lists in the event.
- At the collegiate level, freshman Maximilliano Martinez had only previously run the 3,000 meters. He redshirted the cross country season.

UP NEXT
The Colorado State track & field team returns for its second day of competiton at the Don Kirby Invitational and the Husky Classic on Saturday. Competition at the Husky Classic starts at 11:20 a.m. PT/12:20 p.m. MT, while the Don Kirby Invitational starts at 9:30 a.m. MT with the women's shot put.

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