April 29, 2012

Stowe Breaks Steeplechase Record for Third Time at Stanford

April 29, 2012

Payton Jordan Invitational
Recap

Senior Rebeka Stowe ran to a school-record time of 9:52.82 in the Steeplechase Sunday evening at the Payton Jordan Invitational

Complete Results | Kansas Agate

Results at a Glance
	Women’s 800 Meters
32	Shayla Wilson	2:10.58
	Men’s 800 Meters
27	Brendan Soucie	1:52.50
	Women’s 1,500 Meters (Section 5)
9	Cori Christensen	4:30.84
	Men’s 1,500 Meters (Section 5)
2	Josh Munsch	3:44.62
12	Donny Wasinger	4:06.12
	Men’s 1,500 Meters (Section 6)
6	Reid Buchanan	3:49.20
	Men’s 5,000 Meters
20	Zach Zarda	14:35.53
	Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase
5	Rebeka Stowe	9:52.82
	Men’s 3,000m Steeplechase
7	Austin Bussing	8:52.56

STANFORD, Calif. –Kansas senior Rebeka Stowe broke her own 3,000-meter Steeplechase school record at Sunday’s Payton Jordan Invitational hosted by Stanford University. In addition to Stowe’s record-setting performance, three other Jayhawks notched new personal bests at the meet.

“You come in here and just feed off the energy of all the pro runners,” said Stowe following her race. “The atmosphere here is so laid back so it’s easier to block out distractions and just get in there and compete. I think that’s the main reason why I usually run well here.”

Stowe, who was running in the Steeplechase for the first time since earning First Team All-American honors at the NCAA Championships a year ago, picked up right where she left off. The senior out of Olathe, Kan. toed the start line with several pros, including three who sit in the top 10 in the world this year. Stowe got out to a great start in the race, sticking with the leader and eventual winner, Colorado’s Shalayla Kipp, for the first 2,000 meters. Even though she would not end her day with a victory, Stowe crossed the finish line in 9:52.82, breaking the school record for the third time in her career, each record-breaking performance coming at the Payton Jordan Invitational.

“Coach (Michael Whittlesey) and I talked after the race and he told me how much more confident I looked against some really good runners, so that was definitely encouraging,” Stowe continued. “A race like this gives me a lot of confidence but I know I still have a lot of work to do as I move forward.”

Stowe’s time vaults her to No. 2 in the nation, first in the Big 12 andis the 12^th-fastest in the world in 2012. The time also gives Stowe an automatic trip to the Olympic Trials in June as she topped the A-standard mark by almost three seconds.

A couple other Jayhawks had career nights on Stanford’s Cobb Track Sunday afternoon. Junior Austin Bussing set a personal best in the Steeplechase for the second time in a month, competing in the third section of the event. Bussing finished the 3,000-meter race in seventh overall but it was his time that turned some heads. He clocked in at 8:52.56, which moves the Houston, Texas native into the top 20 in the nation and cements his spot at No. 2 in the Big 12 with the league meet just two weeks away.

Josh Munsch continued his outstanding season finishing second in the fifth section of the 1,500 meters in a personal record time of 3:44.62. The performance propelled the sophomore to No. 7 in the conference and into the all-important top-48 of the NCAA’s West Region.

Other Jayhawks in action at the Payton Jordan Invitational were seniors Zach Zarda in the 3,000 meters (20^th – 14:35.53), Cori Christensen in the 1,500 meters (9^th – 4:30.84) Donny Wasinger in the 1,500 meters (12^th – 4:06.12) and Shayla Wilson in the 800 meters (32^nd – 2:10.58), sophomore Brendan Soucie in the 800 meters (27^th – 1:52.50) and freshman Reid Buchanan in the 1,500 meters (6^th – 3:49.20), who also collected a new personal record.

The Jayhawks now prepare for a short week as they close out the regular season with the Arkansas Twilight in Fayetteville, Ark. on Friday, May 5. The following week the men’s and women’s teams will head to Manhattan, Kan. for the Big 12 Outdoor Championships May 13-15.