The BYU men’s track and field team finished a memorable season with a strong showing at Nationals on June 12. Shaquille Walker took fifth in the 800 meters, and Steve Flint placed 10th in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
“This week was a step forward for our program,” said BYU Head Coach Ed Eyestone. “I’m pleased with how we did and that we ended up there with some of the best teams in the country.”
Walker finished his historic sophomore season with a fifth-place time of 1:49.99 that secured his spot as a first-team All-American. Earlier in the season, Walker’s time of 1:45.78 in the 800 meters at the Sun Angel Classic broke the school record in that event and was the nation’s second-best time this year.
“I think he (Walker) ran a great strategic race,” Eyestone said. “He put himself in a position to give it a run at the end and gave it all he had. I’m proud of him and his season.”
The men’s 4×400 team broke a 44-year-old school record earlier this season and finished fifth in the June 12 final with a time of 3:05.56. The first-team All-American squad, consisting of Mario Harper, Sean Adams, Jesse White and Walker, ran its last three races faster than the record set in 1971.
Senior Steve Flint placed 10th in the 3,000 meter steeplechase final, garnering second-team All-America honors with a time of 8:54.80. Flint’s strong last couple laps moved him from 12th to 10th as he capped off his BYU career.
BYU’s team scored 14.0 points overall, a 13th-place finish. Oregon (85.0) won the team championship, with Florida (56.0) coming in second and Arkansas (53.0) coming in third.
