Jack Macdonald, a freshman sprinter for the Portland State Vikings, recorded the second-fastest qualifying time in the men’s 60 meters at the GFU Indoor #2 meet held Saturday at Austin Sports Complex in Newberg, Oregon. Despite this achievement, head coach Joseph Blue and sprints coach Christian Carter decided not to have Macdonald run in the event final. The decision was made to prevent any risk of injury ahead of next week’s Big Sky Indoor Championships in Pocatello, Idaho.
Macdonald’s qualifying time was 6.95 seconds, his second-best performance this season and his first time running under seven seconds at sea level. His personal best remains 6.93 seconds, set at higher elevation during the Silver & Blue Invitational on January 9.
Dillon Brost finished as Portland State’s second-fastest runner in the men’s 60 meters with a time of 7.22 seconds, improving slightly from his previous best set last season. Aidan Sweeney and Phoenix Bakkum also posted new personal records in the event with times of 7.26 and 7.37 seconds respectively.
Sweeney led the Vikings in the men’s 60-meter hurdles by qualifying for the finals with an 8.59-second prelim time and placing fifth in the final with a time of 8.64 seconds. James Timmins narrowly missed qualifying for finals but set a collegiate best at 8.90 seconds in prelims, while freshman Carson Schall ran his first race in this event and finished tenth with an 8.94-second mark.
On the women’s side, Savannah Beasley reached both prelims and finals in the 60-meter hurdles, posting identical times of 9.49 seconds to place fourth and fifth respectively.
In field events, Daniel Coppedge won the men’s weight throw with a distance of 52-04.00 (15.95m), though this was short of his school record achieved earlier this month at another meet by more than four feet.
For women’s throws, Avonlea Edwards placed second and set a personal record with a throw of 45-04.50 (13.83m), moving her up to second among freshmen at Portland State for that event distance this season; Natalie Fisher also improved her best to move up to seventh on that list.
Jaelyn Sayler achieved a new collegiate best in women’s shot put by finishing fourth with a throw of 36-01.25 (11.00m). Ocean Rideout secured second place in women’s long jump after leading briefly before being overtaken on another competitor’s final attempt.
Jackson Mathers matched his indoor high jump best—clearing six feet—and took second place; he also finished sixth in men’s long jump just behind teammate Damien Parrow.
The Vikings will compete next at the Big Sky Indoor Championships beginning February 26.
“It’s why Macdonald got the Kobe treatment,” said head coach Joseph Blue regarding resting Macdonald before conference championships. “Blue and Carter wanted to save his best for when it matters most.”
