Crater (Oregon) senior breaks national record in 3,200 meters at 24th Nike Jesuit Twilight Relays

Tayvon Kitchen ran 8 minutes, 33.82 seconds, and teammate Josiah Tostenson breaks Galen Rupp's state record in the mile as bid to go sub-4 minutes for first time outdoors falls short

Crater senior Tayvon Kitchen celebrates after breaking the national record in the boys 3,200 meters Friday at the 24th Nike Jesuit Twilight Relays. / René Ferrán

PORTLAND, Ore. — Crater teammates Tayvon Kitchen and Josiah Tostenson took dead aim at the record books Friday evening at the 24th edition of the Nike Jesuit Twilight Relays.

Kitchen, a senior who is bound for Brigham Young University, had Simeon Birnbaum’s national record of 8 minutes, 34.10 seconds, in the 3,200 meters in his sights.

Tostenson, who will run at the University of Washington next year, had the meet record in the Elite Mile in mind, hoping also to become the first Oregon prepster to break the four-minute barrier outdoors.

In the end, the duo went 1 for 2 with their mission, along the way erasing a couple of Galen Rupp's state records.

Kitchen ran by himself for the final five laps, yet was able to gut out an 8:33.82 to set the national record. En route, he went through 3,000 meters in 8:01.56, breaking Rupp’s 21-year-old state record.

Tayvon Kitchen crossed the finish line in 8:33.82. / René Ferrán

“It’s hot out here, and more than half of a race on my own, that gets pretty tough out there,” Kitchen said. “But I can’t complain too much. I came away with the record. Just a fantastic day.”

Kitchen returned to the track an hour later to help pace Tostenson in the Elite Mile, looking to break Michael Slagowski’s 3:59.53 meet record set in 2016.

Tostenson, who ran 3:57.47 indoors in February, was slated to go head-to-head with national indoor mile record-holder Owen Powell, but the Mercer Island senior scratched mid-week to nurse a minor injury.

With Kitchen vying for the 3,200 record, that left Tostenson to attack alone, and he fell just short, winning in 4:00.69 to break Rupp’s state record in the mile.

And while Tostenson took some satisfaction in that, the regret of not breaking 4 minutes was palpable.

“I was prepping all week to go 3:56 with a big group of guys,” Tostenson said. “And when it fell through, I still wanted to attack the sub-four at Jesuit. The Jesuit mile is always very special. 

“So, I’m still disappointed because I think I should be able to solo sub-four from the gun. That’s where my fitness is definitely at. I don’t know, it didn’t feel too sharp today. My legs were a little tired for some reason.”

Kitchen’s record performance was one of eight meet records to fall under sunny skies at Cronin Field, including Lincoln sophomore Ellery Lincoln moving to No. 2 on Oregon’s all-time mile list with her repeat title in the Elite Mile.

Lincoln sophomore Ellery Lincoln moved to No. 2 on Oregon's all-time list in the girls mile with her second victory in the Elite Mile. / René Ferrán

Lincoln, who has fought through bouts of whooping cough and pneumonia over the past year, won in 4:39.37, taking over the national lead in the event and trailing only former Olympic champion Maria Mutola, who ran 4:36.09 while at Springfield in 1991.

“I was so motivated,” Lincoln said. “I was taking a lot of time reflecting and working on my mindset, believing in myself again, because you think, it was almost a whole year of just not being able to trust my body. 

“Even when I was so focused on the race, my body just couldn’t respond. And I think these last couple of weeks, I’ve really felt like myself again.”

Grant of Northeast Portland won the boys team title, and Tahoma of Maple Valley, Wash., won the girls title.

Both meet records in the hurdles races fell Friday, with Tualatin senior Campbell Brintnall running 14.24 in the girls 100 highs to move to No. 6 on Oregon’s all-time list. Nampa’s Tegon Lords won the boys 110s in 13.95, becoming the third Idaho hurdler to break 14 seconds. 

Camas senior Chase McGee, who broke the Washington state record in the pole vault three days earlier at a Greater St. Helens League meet when he cleared 17 feet, 5 inches, came back to break the meet record with a 17-0 vault.

Other meet records to fall Friday were in the boys 4x200 relay by Tigard in 1:27.66, Prairie senior Will Foster in the boys discus (191-5) and Sandy sophomore Topher Gabel in the boys high jump (6-10).

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