PROVO -- The first full day of events featured world-class athletes and season best marks by many of the athletes competing at the Seventeenth Annual Clarence Robison Invitational.
Wednesday and Thursday action featured the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon. BYU's Justin Palmer won the men's decathlon with a national provisionally qualifying mark of 7,353 points. Jennifer Grossarth set a personal best time in the 100 hurdles on her way to winning the heptathlon. Her time of 13.98 is the fastest time run by any athlete on the women's team. Both Palmer and Grossarth have not competed in the event for years, but surpassed the provisional totals for nationals.
"It's been about four years since I have competed in the decathlon," said Palmer. "I had a chance to compete at the beginning of the year, but I told coach [Robison] that I would like to really prepare before competing. So this whole season I have been getting ready for this meet. It paid off and I will now get a chance to go to nationals."
The women were well represented on the awards stand and many more will compete tomorrow in the finals.
"We had quite a few athletes qualify and we had some very good performances," said women's track head coach Craig Poole. "Over all I thought it was a good meet. Having high caliber athletes here to compete against our athletes has really helped to push our kids to run harder and perform better."
Tiffany Arrhenius won the Javelin with a season best mark of 152 feet 10 inches. Her throw was also the best throw by a Cougar this year on the women's team. Sarah Lancaster and Piret Kuresson took second and third respectively. Arrhenius received her first place award in her cap and gown because she received her diploma today right after she finished throwing the javelin.
"We finished at about 1:30 and I had to run and get changed so I could attend graduation at 2:00," said Arrhenius. "I was glad it worked out and I was able to get [my diploma] and compete well."
In the women's pole vault Kari McAllister cleared a new season best with her second place performance of 11 feet 11.75 inches. She was second only to American Record holder Stacy Dragila, who cleared 14 feet 1.25 inches. Whitney McDonald won the 5000 meters. Katie Bowen, Jenna Jensen, Tawny Bybee and Ann Heiner swept the next four spots. Cecily Lemmon took seventh to give BYU six of the top eight spots on the awards stand. Angela Wagner, Heidi Houle, Jenna Lowder and Stacy Slight advanced to the finals in the 800. The women advanced five hurdlers in the 110 hurdles to the finals tomorrow. Three 400 hurdlers will represent the Cougars tomorrow as well.
"We had some good performances today," said No. 9 BYU men's head coach Mark Robison. "Having Barton County Community College here and some of the other great athletes as well as the local schools has made this a very good meet. We have had some good qualifying marks and tomorrow should be a great day of finals."
Skylar McDonald took second place in the Javelin with his throw of 195 feet 3 inches, and Matthew Johnston came in third. Boian Marinov took fifth in the long jump with a jump of 23 feet even. Niklas Arrhenius took second with his throw of 201 feet 1 inch. Dustin Lawrenson came in third and Daniel Lawson placed fifth. The Cougars also advanced five runners in the 400 hurdles, and four in the 110 hurdles. Nick Bennion won the 800 open with a time of 1:54.54 and Andrew Martin fallowed in right behind him for second place.