PROVO, Utah – Four BYU freshmen will compete at the USATF Junior Outdoor Championships this weekend in Clovis, California.
Tomi Adegoke (long jump), Connor Ross (1500m), Lauren Ellsworth (800m) and Rachel Cannon will compete Friday through Sunday at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium. Three of the athletes competed in the NCAA Division I West Preliminary in Lawrence, Kansas, last month and although they did not advance to the championship round, they represented themselves and their school well.
Long jumper Tomi Adegoke competed in the West Prelims ranked No. 41, and he finished the competition with a mark of 6:73m and in 44th place. His personal best in the long jump is 7:31m.
Distance runner Connor Ross did not compete in the West Prelims in the 1500m, but did so in the 800m. He posted a time of 1:49.79 and a 21st-place finish. Ross enters the Junior Championships with a personal-best 3:48.61 in the 1500m.
Mid-distance runner Lauren Ellsworth will run in the Junior Championships in the women’s 800m having competed the West Prelims ranked at No. 23 and finished 28th overall. She enters the Junior Championships with a personal-best time of 2:06.83 in the 800m.
Distance runner Rachel Cannon will be competing in the women's 1500m race. She did not compete for the Cougars in the Prelims, but will run this weekend with a personal-best mark of 4:38.31.
The USATF Junior Outdoor Championships serve as an opportunity for high school and college athletes from around the United States, ranging from ages 14-19, to participate in a selection meet for the IAAF World U20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, July 19-24.
The schedule for the meet’s events is below. The winner of each heat in the womens 800m, plus the next four best times, will advance to the finals round. The top three of each heat in the mens 1500m, plus the next six best times, will advance to the finals round.
Friday, June 24
| Time (PDT) | Event | Athlete |
| 5:55p.m. | Womens 800m (First round) | Lauren Ellsworth |
| 7:00p.m. | Men's Long Jump (Final) | Tomi Adegoke |
| 7:10p.m. | Men's 1500m (First round) | Connor Ross |
| 7:30p.m. | Women's 1500m (First Round) | Rachel Cannon |
Saturday, June 25
| Time | Event | Athlete |
| 8:00p.m. | Women's 800m (Final) | Lauren Ellsworth* |
Sunday, June 26
| Time | Event | Athlete |
| 7:42p.m. | Women's 1550m (Final) | Rachel Cannon* |
| 7:54p.m. | Men's 1500m (Final) | Connor Ross* |
*- If qualified
Information about online broadcasts and a full schedule can be found at USATF.tv.