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PROVO — Another former BYU cross country and track and field star has earned a qualifying bid for the Summer Olympics.
Former BYU harrier Rory Linkletter ran the Olympic marathon standard in the Seville Marathon in Spain, opening up a spot for Canada in the Paris Summer Games, scheduled for Aug. 10.
The Canadian international who was born in Calgary, Alberta, but prepped at Herriman High finished 13th overall in the Spanish race, finishing with the 13th fastest time by a Canadian all-time in 2 hours, 8 minutes, 01 seconds.
The Olympic standard of 2:08:10 unlocked a spot for Canada in the Paris games this summer, a berth Linkletter will receive if fewer than three other Canadians don't run faster before the window closes May 5.
"It feels surreal to hit the Olympic standard," Linkletter said in a statement from BYU. "This marks one step closer to Paris, as I have to wait till the official closing of the qualifying window to confirm my spot, but I did my job. It will be incredible to represent my country and my university, as well as compete alongside Clayton (Young) and Conner (Mantz) in Paris. I owe a great deal of my success to the foundation laid by Ed Eyestone and the BYU cross country and track programs."
The 27-year-old Puma athlete is the third former Cougar to run the Olympic standard, joining former teammates and Utah natives Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, who secured their bids with the top two spots in the U.S. Olympic marathon trials in Orlando earlier this month.
Linkletter and Young graduated together, their last races coming in 2019 at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships, when Young won the 10,000-meter national title in 29:16.06, followed closely by Mantz in 29:19.93 and Linkletter in 29:55.21.
Utah prep stars dominate on national stage
A trio of Utah prep stars set meet records with the top teams in their respective events at arguably the top indoor track and field meet in the country over the weekend.
Olympus' JoJo Jourdon set a meet record in the boys' 1,600-meter run, American Fork's Danny Simmons topped a meet record in the boys' 3,200-meter, and Timpview's Jane Hedengren broke the meet record in the girls' 3,200-meter run at the Simplot Games in Pocatello, Idaho.
Jourdon, the reigning 5A cross country champion who has signed with Wake Forest, finished first in the 1,600 meter in 4:07.73, nearly 3 seconds ahead of runner-up Charlie Vause from Rio Rancho, California. American Fork's Ben Bradshaw finished fourth in 4:13.59, and Herriman's William Steadman was fifth in 4:16.26 — the first of a trio of Mustangs ahead of teammates Max Hofheins (4:17.64) and Tayshaun Ogomo (4:18.25).
Simmons, the two-time Gatorade national cross country runner of the year who has signed with BYU, set the boys' 3,200-meter record with a winning team of 8:48.08, more than 10 seconds ahead of American Fork teammate Ben Jaster (8:59.68) for second. Kaden Evans added a third-place finish for the Cavemen in 9:08.41), and Orem's Austin Westfall was fourth in 9:12.99, and Riverton's Corbin Randall added a sixth-place medal in 9:15.90.
Hedengren, the Gatorade Utah girls track athlete of the year after setting state records in the 1600-meter run, the 3,000-meter run and the two-mile, broke a Simplot Meet record in the 3,200-meter run in 10:02.42. American Fork's Avalon Mecham was second in 10:45.52, Riverton's Mya Oyler was fourth in 11:01.54, and Herriman's Alayna Wardle fifth in 11:02.54.
Utah athletes secured five of the top six spots in the event, including with Bonneville's Sienna Barton rounding out the group in 11:03.19.
Utahns swept the podium in the 800-meter final, with American Fork's Noah Nielson and Ryker Bement finishing 1-2 in 1:51.97 and 1:55.74, respectively. Riverton's Luke Horner (1:55.79), Ogden's Colton Scharmann (1:57.56), Olympus' Dillon Elliott (1:58.49) and Woods Cross' Brennon Koldewyn (1:58.59) also finished in the top six.
Timpview's Lily Alder won the girls' 800-meter run in 2:11.35.
West Jordan's Dominic Overby finished first in the long jump with a winning mark of 22-06.50, and Weber's Cami Cvitkovich — who has signed with Idaho — won the girls' high jump in 5-08.00.
Simply incredible.
— The Stride Report (@TheStrideReport) February 17, 2024
The Washington women just ran a jaw-dropping DMR time of 10:43.39 to shatter their own NCAA record of 10:46.62 from 2023!!!
The Providence women and BYU women now sit at NCAA #2 and NCAA #3 all-time, respectively. pic.twitter.com/duimDe5gRI
BYU women shatter DMR school record
Returning to the collegiate scene, the BYU women's distance medley relay team shattered the program's previous record by nearly 4.5 seconds Saturday at the Terrier DMR Challenge in Boston.
Sadie Sargent, Sami Oblad, Meghan Hunter and Riley Chamberlain posted a combined time of 10:44.67 to place third behind Washington and Providence. The Huskies' time of 10:43.39 broke their own NCAA record by nearly three seconds, set last year.
Sargent ran the 1,200-meter leg in 3:16.71, Oblad finished the 400-meter leg in 53.10, Hunter finished the 800-meter leg in 2:05.19, and Chamberlain rounded out the 1,600-meter leg in 4:29.74.
The previous school record was set in 2023, when Sargent anchored the team.
The Cougars will head to Lubbock, Texas, next week to compete in the Big 12 indoor track and field championships.
