(Photo by Paul Merca http://paulmerca.blogspot.ca/)

Stanford, CA – Point Grey and UBC's Luc Bruchet ran a nine second personal best in the men's 5,000 metres last Friday evening at the Stanford Invitational finishing third in a time of 13:45.04. In a race amongst a number of top NCAA Division 1 and professional athletes, two NAIA athletes finished in the top three with the 2013 NAIA 1,500m silver medalist Eric Avila taking the race in a time of 13:43.05. Only five Canadian athletes have run faster than Bruchet outdoors since 2010 as the senior opened up his final university season with a career race in California.

RESULTS

"You can never be disappointed with a personal best, but I was hoping for a bit quicker time tonight," added Bruchet after the race. "You go down to these NCAA Division I meets expecting to run fast but that's not always the case."

With a pace setter taking the field through 3,000m, Bruchet tucked in and was in the top three for the better part of the race and at times found himself having to control the pace at the front. Avila of Southern Oregon broke away with just under two laps remaining and never looked back, narrowly edging out Nick Happe of Notre Dame who finished second. Avila finished second to Bruchet at last year's NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships but did not contest the 5,000m, an event in which Bruchet finished fifth.

"I responded relatively well when the pace started to quicken, but didn't have that final gear in the last lap," said Bruchet. "With that said, it's a good starting point and there's definitely more in the tank."

Other notables in Friday's Stanford Invitational race included fourth-place finisher from the 2013 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships Futsum Zienasellassie, Kevin Batt of Adams State, and marathoner Fernando Cabada.  

Bruchet will continue his season on the road to the 2014 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the SFU Emilie Mondor Invitational this weekend before the Mt. SAC Relays in California in a week's time.