EUGENE, Ore. – Javelin thrower Cameron Bates and distance runner Conner Mantz both broke BYU track and field records as 11 Cougars achieved all-time marks at the Hayward Premiere and UVU Invitational this weekend.
Hayward Premiere
Bates launched his javelin 77.17m/253-2 to pass the previous program record of 75.44m/247-6, set nearly 35 years ago by Soren Tallhem in 1986. The mark meets the Olympic standard and qualifies Bates to compete at U.S. Olympic Trials.
“Cam Bates just unleashed with his 77.17-meter throw,” said BYU director of track and field Ed Eyestone. “It was a PR by more than 6 meters and broke the school record by nearly 2 meters. To be able to do it where the trials will be held will give him a load of confidence for both the NCAA Championships and the Olympic Trials. Nik Arrhenius is doing some great things with our javelin crew right now, so we’re excited about that.”
Mantz wasted no time in adding another historical performance to his resume in his first track and field race since winning the individual national title at the 2020 NCAA Cross Country Championships last month. The All-American ran a 13:24.78 in the men’s 5000m invitational to pass Josh Rohatinsky (13:25.53 - 2007) and set a new school record.
All-American Casey Clinger also beat Rohatinsky’s time to claim the second-fastest outdoor 5000m in school history, finishing the race in 13:24.89. Both Clinger’s and Mantz’s times meet the Olympic qualifying standard and earned them a spot at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Teammate Brandon Garnica nearly ran a qualifying time, finishing the 5000m in 13:26.62, the fourth-fastest outdoor 5000m in program history.
“I thought it was a great performance by all of our 5000m crew on the men’s side, particularly Conner Mantz, Casey Clinger and Brandon Garnica,” Eyestone said. “Even though Garnica didn’t nail the Olympic qualifying standard, I think he’ll probably get in when they go down the list and fill out the field. All in all, I thought it was a great performance. Our goal all along has been to get a solid qualifier for the NCAAs and put us in a position to run the 5000m at the trials.”
In the women’s 5000m invitational, All-American Whittni Orton finished in 15:42.33 to win the race. Her time ranks No. 2 all-time on the BYU Top 10 board, marking her fifth event that she holds a top-10 mark in between the indoor and outdoor lists.
All-American Aubrey Frentheway ran the second-fastest 10,000m in program history with a time of 33:03.49 while All-American Sara Musselman ran the 10th-fastest 3000m steeplechase in BYU history with a time of 10:01.88.
All-American Talem Franco competed in his first collegiate meet since 2020 and clocked a 3:39.79 to win the men’s 1500m invitational while fellow All-American Lucas Bons completed the race in 3:42.31. Franco’s time moved him up to No. 6 all-time at BYU and Bons cracked the top 10 list at No. 10.
After winning national titles in the 3000m and distance medley relay at the 2020 NCAA Indoor Championships, Courtney Wayment made her outdoor debut in the 1500m. The All-American won the race with a time of 4:16.10, marking the 10th-fastest time in program history.
Connor Weaver was the 11th Cougar to earn a spot on the BYU Top 10 board at the Hayward Premiere. He ran a career-best 28:41.30 to crack the all-time list at No. 10.
“Our mission going into this meet was to first and foremost to punch the ticket to the NCAA Prelims,” Eyestone said. “If you made the trip, the expectation was to punch your ticket to the NCAA West Prelims. I was super pleased with everyone who came. I think a vast majority of athletes that came were able to achieve marks that will probably get them into the first round of the NCAA championships.”
The Hayward Premiere marked the first meet inside the new Hayward Field. Athletes that won their respective events took one victory lap around the track, specifically celebrating them as the first athlete to win that event in the rebuilt facility. BYU track and field won 14 events across the men’s and women’s teams.
- Michael Bluth - Men’s 200m (21.26* - wind assisted)
- Colten Yardley - Men’s 400H (50.96)
- Talem Franco - Men’s 800m (1:48.89
- Kate Hunter - Women’s 800m (2:06.91)
- Anna Camp-Bennett - 800m Invite (2:03.91)
- Lauren Ellsworth-Barnes - 1500m (4:20.64)
- Courtney Wayment - 1500m Invite (4:16.10)
- Clayson Shumway - 3000m Steeplechase (8:47.48)
- Whittni Orton - 5000m (15:42.33)
- Cameron Bates - Men’s Javelin (77.17m/253-2)
- Ashton Riner - Women’s Javelin (50.30m/165-0)
- Zach McWhorter - Men’s Pole Vault (5.65m/18-6.50)
- BYU Men’s Relay Team - 4x400m (3:11.38)
- BYU Women’s Relay Team -4x400m (3:40.70)
Hayward Premiere - Complete Results
UVU Invitational
The Cougars also had a number of athletes competing in the UVU Invite at the Hal Wing Track & Field over the weekend.
Cierra Tidwell Allphin won the women’s high jump with a season-best 1.77m/5-9.75 while Jacob Veres cleared 2.15m/7-0.75 to win the men’s high jump and set a new personal record for the second meet in a row.
Adaobi Tabugbo and Kayla Perry finished 1-2 in the women’s 100m hurdles final with career-best times of 13.85 and 14.03, respectively. Perry also doubled in the 400m hurdles, finishing in second with a personal record of 1:00.38. In the men’s 110m hurdles, Kyle Strauss clocked a career-best 14.35 to win the final.
Dallin Shurts broke his personal record in the men’s discus by more than 3.5 meters with a toss of 54.00m/177-2 to win the event. In the women’s javelin, Payge Jauhiainen threw a career-best 47.68m/156-5.25 to finish second overall.
Taye Raymond won the women’s long jump with a career performance of 6.10m/20-0.25 while teammate Camilla Andam placed third with a career-best 5.77m/18-11.25.
BYU track and field will next compete April 8-10 at the Jim Click Invite in Tucson, Arizona, and the Aggie Invitational in Logan, Utah.