PROVO -- With strong showings by both the men and women in the 800-meter run, the BYU Cougars have taken a commanding lead after the first full day of competition in the 2003 BYU Wells Fargo Invitational.
The Cougar women's team leads the meet with 108 points, with Utah State in second place with 68 points. The University of Utah earned 61 points and UVSC is in fourth place with a score of 36.
The Cougar men lead the competition with 82.5 points; Utah State followed with 58.5 points and UVSC is third with 23 points.
BYU junior Lars Kjerengtroen improved on his previous season high with a 1:50.00 to win the 800. Jacob Gustafsson took second place running a 1:50.2, also a season best. His second-place finish was good enough to qualify Gustafsson for regionals.
"Our task today was to get Gustafsson in (regionals) and we did that," said Ed Eyestone, assistant men's coach. "It would have been a perfect day if Taylor had qualified, but he just missed it. He will get another chance next week, though"
Jeff Taylor finished the race with a time of 1:51.39.
The Cougars also lead in the women's 800 as freshman Aneta Lemiesz took first with a time of 2:08.27 and Jamie Cottle placed second at 2:08.90. Both women ran their second fastest race of the season.
Sophomore Kassi Anderson won the steeplechase with a time of 10:12.34; adjusted for altitude her time was 9:58.53. "That was huge," said Pat Shane, women's assistant coach. "I have never had an athlete run her first and second steeplechases that fast. She is in good company."
By good company Shane is referring to former Cougar Elizabeth Jackson, the event's world record holder, and current Cougar Michaela Mannova, the 2002 national champion and NCAA Championship and BYU record holder, neither of whom recorded faster times in their first two races. Anderson is the No. 1-ranked steeplechase athlete in the nation this season.
Anna-lee Walcott had her best jump of the season and finished first in the long jump with a score of 5.68 meters. Sophomore Lindsay Sommer finished second with 5.66 meters, her second best of the season.
Other highlights from the meet include Chelsea Weenig throwing a personal best and taking second in discus with a final throw of 49.25 meters.
Although they had no new regional qualifiers, the women did improve their performance, said women's head coach Craig Poole.
"This (improved scores) really helps us get ready for the Mountain West Conference Championships," Poole said. "It helps us decide who goes."
The BYU men also had a great showing in the steeplechase with Matt Adams running 9:01.91. Adams approximate adjusted-for-altitude time was 8:50.00. This time places him in the top 15 in the country.
"That was huge for him," said men's head coach Mark Robinson. "That may be fast enough to qualify him for nationals even if he doesn't do well at regionals."
Another Cougar athlete who improved his lifetime best time and is now ranked No. 9 in the country is Greg Flint. Flint completed the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 50.16. Kansas Whitear completed the race with a 51.53 and achieved a regional qualifying time.
"I really like this meet," Poole said. "I like having the high school and college together. I hope to pursue this in the future on a grander scale. There is not a better meet in the Intermountain west than this meet."
The final day on competition will be Saturday beginning at 7:30 a.m. The meet will conclude in the late afternoon.