The BYU track and field team concluded its outdoor season opener Saturday at Cromwell Field and Loker Stadium in Los Angeles, placing several athletes in multiple events and continuing to climb the record books.
Sophomore Libby Parkinson was the highlight of the competition with her first-place javelin throw of 50.03 meters. The mark was a personal best and lifted her to fifth all-time in BYU history.
Parkinson holds the Utah 6A state record in the javelin and will surely aim for BYU’s top mark as she continues her career as a thrower.
Personal bests proved to be no stranger to the BYU women as Jessica Thompson and Marci Torgerson also achieved new bests with their javelin throws of 47.48m and 33.64m, respectively.
Continuing with the individual first-place finishes were the BYU men who had impressive performances. Danny Bryant started things off by winning the pole vault competition with a mark of 16.91 meters.
Colton Yardley finished first in the 400m hurdles with a time of 51.20 and Kenneth Rooks won the 3000m steeplechase with a 8:45.69. The Cougars also took the second-place spots in both events.
On the women’s side of the steeplechase, Madi Moffit, Lizzie Dildine and Allie Warner were the only athletes to compete, all finishing with impressive times. The success did not stop there as the women went ahead to win the following three events.
Hannah Stetler won the pole vault with a clearance of 3.65m, a new personal best, Sierra Freeland placed first in the shot put with a 15.23m throw and Taye Raymond finished first in the long jump with a mark of 5.77m.
The relay teams showed promising potential with their results as the men’s 4x100 won the event with a time of 40.16. Two men’s teams competed in the 4x400 for the Cougars and finished in third and fourth.
The women’s 4x100 team composed of Annalise Hart, Brinn Jensen, Brilee Pontius and Chloe Taylor finished second with a time of 46.66 while the 4x400 team placed second with a 3:39.
Senior Alissa Fielding achieved a new personal best in the 1500 with her time of 4:28.72 and on the other end of the spectrum, several freshman athletes competed in the first outdoor events of their careers.
With meet one out of the way, the Cougars will look to take their marks and times and run with them, hoping to continue rewriting the record books and achieving new bests.
BYU has two upcoming meets next week to continue its outdoor season, splitting between the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in Austin, Texas beginning March 23 and the Aztec Invitational in San Diego, California on March 24-26.