AZUSA, Calif./ LONG BEACH, Calif. — Zenah Cheptoo lowered the women's 5,000m program record for the second time this season with a time 15:40.09 in the second heat of the Bryan Clay Invitational women's invite as Washington State men's and women's track and field teams competed Friday in the second day of the distance carnival in Azusa, Calif.  Down the road in Long Beach, Calif., the Cougars combined for two wins on the track and one field win to open the Beach Invite at Jack Rosae Track.

In the opening day of the two-day Beach Invite, Jasneet Nijjar captured a win in the women's 200m with an outdoor PR of 23.53, with teammates Brooke Lyons (24.14) and Elise Unruh-Thoams (24.17) placing fourth and fifth, respectively.  With the help of a 3.9 m/s headwind, Grant Buckmiller finished only .01 seconds from setting a WSU freshman record in the men's 200m dash, winning Friday's Beach Invite 200m in 21.02.

Eva Lowder won the women's pole vault with her best mark of the outdoor season at 4.06m, while her freshman counterpart Tatum Moku placed runner-up with a final mark of 3.91m.

The Cougars continued the three-day Bryan Clay with three season-best times out of their women's mid-distance group.  Maya McCabe led things off with a personal-best 2:07.88 to place third in the women's 800m open. Neema Kimtai (2.08.02) and Elena Willems (2:08.65) followed up with season-best times in the 800m invite running in tandem throughout most of heat No. 12.

Washington State will wrap up the week on Saturday with the third and final day of the Bryan Clay Invitational, the second and final day of the Beach Invite, as well as the one-day UCLA Invitational at Drake Stadium in Los Angeles.

Next Up:
Washington State will stay on the Palouse next weekend as it gets set to host the 2024 Cougar Classic, the first home track meet in almost two full years on Saturday, April 20, at Mooberry Track.  The Cougar Classic will feature mostly competition from other Pacific Northwest schools, and represents the penultimate pre-championship meet for WSU before making the trip to the 2024 Pac-12 Championships (May 10-12) in Boulder, Colo.

For all the latest WSU Track and Field news, photos, and videos, like the team on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/wsucougartrack) or follow on Twitter (@ WSUCougarXCTF) and Instagram (@WSUCougarXCTF).
 

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WSU Results - LBSU Beach Invite Day 1
Women's 200m Dash
- Jasneet Nijjar: 23.53, 1^st [Outdoor PR]
- Brooke Lyons: 24.14, 4^th
- Elise Unruh-Thomas: 24.17, 5^th
Men's 200m Dash
- Grant Buckmiller: 21.02 (+3.9), 1^st
Women's Pole Vault
- Eva Lowder:  4.06m/ 13' 3.75", 1^st [Outdoor PR]
- Tatum Moku:  3.91m/ 12' 10", t-2^nd
Women's Javelin
- Laura Lindquist: 45.05m/ 147' 9", 19^th
 
WSU Results - Bryan Clay Invitational Day 2
Women's Heptathlon Group C
- Sarah Kovich: 4,566 points, 11^th
Women's 5,000m Run (Open B)
- Nicole Bissell: 16:53.78, 14^th
Women's 800m Run (Open)
- Maya McCabe: 2:07.88, 3^rd [PR]
Women's 800m Run (Invite)
- Neema Kimtai: 2:08.02, 70^th [SB]
- Elena Willems: 2:08.65, 80^th [SB]
Women's 5,000m Run (Open A)
- Cristina Molteni: 16:49.00, 19^th
Women's 5,000m Run (Invite)
- Zenah Cheptoo: 15:40.09, 3^rd [WSU School Record] [WSU Freshman Record]
- Alaina Stone Boggs: 16:44.50, 25th 
Men's 5,000m Run (Invite)
- Brian Barsaiya: 13:51.38, 9th [PR]