Graves-Blanks ran the early NCAA lead in the 110-meter hurdles, Liisa-Maria Lusti cracked Oregon’s all-time top 10, and the Ducks piled up eight personal bests at the Jim Bush Legends Invitational.
Oregon’s sprint and multis groups brought plenty of firepower to Los Angeles on Saturday, and Kai Graves-Blanks led the way.
Competing at the Jim Bush Legends Invitational, Graves-Blanks posted the early season NCAA lead in the 110-meter hurdles with a lifetime-best 13.47, giving the Ducks one of the top
performances in the country this spring and moving himself to No. 4 in program history. It was the kind of statement performance Oregon has come to expect from its hurdle crew, and it did not stand alone.
Liisa-Maria Lusti, fresh off her NCAA pentathlon title, opened her outdoor season with a personal-best 13.58 in the 100-meter hurdles. That time was good for third place and put her into a tie for 10th on Oregon’s all-time list. It was another strong showing from one of the Ducks’ most versatile stars as she continues to build on a breakout year.
Aiden Carter also turned in a big result in the men’s 110 hurdles, running a personal-best 14.23 to finish second in his section and fifth overall. Between Graves-Blanks and Carter, Oregon got exactly the kind of early outdoor momentum it wants in the hurdles.
Graves-Blanks was not done there, either. He came back in the 200 meters and clocked another personal best at 21.14, giving him two lifetime bests on the day. PJ Ize-Iyamu led the Ducks in the event with a personal-best 20.67, shaving down his previous outdoor best from 2024. Grant Valley added a 21.09 as Oregon placed three runners in the top eight.
On the women’s side, Amirah Shaheed delivered a strong double, posting personal bests in both the 100 meters and 200 meters. She ran 11.53 in the 100 and 23.75 in the 200, continuing a productive early outdoor season. Aaliyah McCormick, making her outdoor debut after winning the NCAA title in the 60-meter hurdles indoors, finished eighth in the 200 at 24.12.
Shaheed also teamed with Brazil Neal, Lily Jones and Niya Clayton in the 4×100-meter relay, where the Ducks finished third in 44.16. Neal added an outdoor personal best of 24.36 in the 200 meters to round out another productive day for Oregon’s women.
All told, the Ducks left UCLA with two top-10 marks in program history and eight personal bests. For this point in the outdoor season, that is a strong return, and Graves-Blanks’ national-leading time gave Oregon the kind of headline result that stands out even in March.
Full Results
Jim Bush Legends Invitational (Los Angeles, Calif.)
MEN
100 Meters
10. Grant Valley – 10.59
200 Meters
2. PJ Ize-Iyamu – 20.67 (PB)
6. Grant Valley – 21.09
8. Kai Graves-Blanks – 21.14 (PB)
110m Hurdles
1. Kai Graves-Blanks – 13.47 (PB, UO #4)
5. Aiden Carter – 14.23 (PB)
WOMEN
100 Meters
3. Amirah Shaheed – 11.53 (PB)
6. Brazil Neal – 11.69 (-0.5)
7. Lily Jones – 11.71
10. Niya Clayton – 11.83
200 Meters
6. Amirah Shaheed – 23.75 (out. PB)
8. Aaliyah McCormick – 24.12
13. Brazil Neal – 24.36 (out. PB)
15. Lily Jones – 24.47
19. Niya Clayton – 24.59
100m Hurdles
3. Liisa-Maria Lusti – 13.58 (PB, =UO #10)
4x100m Relay
3. Neal/Jones/Clayton/Shaheed – 44.16
Up Next
The outdoor schedule ramps up next weekend, with Oregon splitting across three meets: distance runners at the Stanford Invitational, sprinters at the UNLV Rebel Elite, and throwers at the Triton Invite.
