NCAA Champion Shows His Range With Dominant Win In The 800 Meters

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

EUGENE, Ore. -- When Cole Hocker arrived on the University of Oregon campus in the fall of 2019, he never could have known how long it would take to race at home. 

Nineteen months later, Hocker's Eugene racing debut coincided with the opening of the rebuilt Hayward Field and he made star turns on both days of the Hayward Premiere.

On Saturday, Hocker was fourth with 200 meters left in the invitational 800. He made the patient choice to stay on the rail and then made slick pass on the inside of Iowa State's Roshon Roomes and outsprinted everyone to the finish line. 

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“It was a fast race but still tactical, and I was real happy with how I ran that tactically just as well as physically," he said. "It was a feeling I hadn’t had in a while: weaving around people and just putting my neck out there for the finish. It was really fun.” 

Hocker's seemingly endless gears took him to the finish line in 1:46.60 for the fastest 800 meters in the NCAA so far this spring and No. 7 on the Oregon all-time list. 

“I’m really happy with pretty much the same feeling as yesterday with how I was able to run with the point we are in training. Having that speed at this point so early in the season gives me a lot of confidence in what I’m able to do at the end of races especially when I’m at peak shape," Hocker said.

On Friday night, Hocker charged to the front and out-ran the competition to a victory in the 1,500 meters in 3:38.99. 

The double NCAA Indoor champion (mile and 3,000m) has made himself right at home. 

“Obviously we’re racing to win but we treated these two days like a workout in seeing what we could do doubling and then coming back with a good effort on the second day. With so many guys under or right at 1:50 (in the 800 meters), that really shows our depth across all distances.”

One weekend down, Hocker is 2-0 in Hayward Field. 

After Friday night's distance buffet, Saturday's schedule allowed athletes to explore more of the new competition areas, from the high jump apron to the shot and discus rings, to the triple jump runway. The hurdles came out for the first time. 

BYU's women flexed in the 800 meters as eight Cougars ran under 2:08. Anna Camp-Bennett won the invitational section in 2:03.91. 

Charisma Taylor of Washington State won the women's 100-meter hurdles in 13.52 seconds and later won the triple jump as well, with 42-5.50 (12.94m). 

WSU's Aislinn Overby and Suzy Pace were the only women to clear 5-9.75 (1.77m) in the high jump. 

NCAA Indoor triple jump champion Emmanuel Ihemeje jumped 52-00.75 (15.87m) working off a short approach.