AUSTIN -- After five athletes qualified for finals, and an All-American performance from Laura Turner in the 10,000 meters on Thursday at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Austin, Texas, nine more BYU athletes competed here on the third day of competition. BYU freshman Niklas Arrhenius and junior Lindsey Metcalf highlighted the Cougars' performance on Friday, earning All-America honors in the discus and high jump, respectively.
Following is an event-by-event recap of Friday's action from Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas.
DECATHLON
Competitor: Curtis Pugsley (Sr., Park Valley, Utah)
100m (12:30 p.m.)
Running out of lane six in the third of three heats, Pugsley finished seventh in a time of 11.22 seconds to pick up 812 points in the 100m. After the first of 10 events, Pugsley is in 20th place, trailing the leader, Trey Hardee of Mississippi State, by 168 points.
Hardee won the 100m in a time of 10.48 seconds, marking the eighth fastest all-time performance by a U.S. athlete in the decathlon. His time in the 100m also ranks as the second fastest time by a collegiate performer in the decathlon.
Long Jump (1:30 p.m.)
In the long jump, Pugsley posted a mark of 23 feet, 5.25 inches to record 847 points and finish in a tie with Auburn's Maurice Smith for eighth place in the event. Pugsley fouled on his first attempt, but came back with a mark of 7.14 meters as the rain began to fall at Myers Stadium. On his third attempt, Pugsley failed to improve with a distance of 22 feet, 7.75 inches.
With a combined two-event total of 1,659, Pugsley moved from 20th place in to a tie with Wisconsin's Joe Detmer for 12th place overall. Following two events, Pugsley was 221 points behind the leader, Hardee from Mississippi State (1,830 pts.).
Shot Put (2:45 p.m.)
Pugsley finished 10th in the first flight--20th overall--in the shot put with a distance of 39 feet 9.75 inches. Despite earning 614 points, Pugsley dropped to 17th place after three events.
Auburn's Maurice Smith moved in to the lead after recording 827 points in the shot put. Smith has a combined 2,564 points after three events, 291 points ahead of Pugsley.
High Jump (4:00 p.m.)
Pugsley picked up 831 points after a second-place finish in the high jump, clearing a final height of 6 feet, 8 inches.
Entering the event in 17th place, Pugsley moved up to 11th with 3,104 total points. Ryan Harlan held the overall lead after four events with 3,362 points.
400m (7:20 p.m.)
In the final event of the day, Pugsley finished third in the second heat of the 400m, 15th overall. Pugsley held off Joshua Kinawan of Arizona State to finish with a time of 50.51. Kinawan finished fourth in a time of 50.56. Wisconsin's Joe Detmer won the event in a time of 47.34 to earn 941 points.
Pugsley picked up 791 points to finish the first day of competition in 13th place with 3,895 points. Rice's Ryan Harlan leads the competition through the first day of competition with 4,232 points.
"I thought Curtis had a pretty good day," BYU men's coach Robison said. "It should be an interesting competition. I think it's going to be the survival of the fittest. It could come down to the last man standing. Curtis has a chance to become an All-American and pick up some points. At this point, that's about the best we can hope for."
DISCUS (3:45 p.m.) -- Finals
Competitor: Dan Arrhenius (Sr., Orem, Utah); Niklas Arrhenius (Fr., Orem, Utah)
Freshman Niklas Arrhenius earned All-America honors with a seventh-place finish in the discus. Arrhenius advanced to the finals with a toss of 188 feet, 2 inches on his third and final throw of the third flight.
"Nik is unbelievable," BYU men's coach Mark Robison said. "Next year, when he's healthy and recovered from his mission, he could win this thing. Had he been healthy, he would have finished in the top-three this year.
"As a freshman, he has done things I didn't think could be done. He could have used his injury as an excuse, but he came here and gave it everything he had. You have to love that kind of effort."
Older brother Dan Arrhenius failed to advance to the finals of the men's discuss after an eighth-place finish in the first of three heats. Arrhenius recorded a best mark of 171 feet, 4 inches on his second of three attempts. (His third attempt sailed only 170 feet, 2 inches.)
SMU's Hannes Hopley won the competition with a mark of 203 feet, 5 inches.
TRIPLE JUMP (6:15 p.m.) -- Prelims
Competitor: Kamila Rywelska (Pastek, Poland)
Freshman Kamila Rywelska came up just 1.75 inches short of qualifying for the finals in the women's triple jump. Rywelska, a native of Pastek, Poland finished 13th--on place from the final qualifying spot-- with a distance of 42 feet 6.25 inches.
Rywelska, who entered the competition ranked 17th, posted a mark of 12.90 meters on her first attempt, followed by a distance of 12.94 meters on her second jump. On her third and final attempt, Rywelska posted a distance of 12.96 meters (42 feet, 6.25 inches) to finish 13th overall.
"She competed well," BYU women's coach Craig Poole said. "Today just wasn't her day to get the big mark. She was a little tentative on her takeoff, which may have cost her. But, she didn't scratch and that was important. Overall, we're pleased with her performance."
HIGH JUMP (7:30 p.m.) -- Finals
Competitor: Lindsey Metcalf (Jr., Orem, Utah)
Junior Lindsey Metcalf earned All-America honors in what will go down as the greatest NCAA women's high jump competition ever. Including Metcalf's personal-best clearance of 6 feet, one-half inch, eight girls cleared the six-foot mark.
"We're totally thrilled by Lindsey's performance this evening," women's coach Craig Poole said. "That is the greatest high jump competition ever. We're so pleased with her performance, and even more excited to know she'll be back next year."
TRIPLE JUMP (8:30 p.m.) -- Prelims
Competitor: Rodrigo Mendes (Jr., Presidente Prudente, Brazil)
Junior Rodrigo Mendes finished 13th in the triple jump, failing to qualify for the finals by just one position. Mendes posted a mark of 52 feet 2.75 inches, failing to qualify for the final round by a half inch. Leevan Sands of Auburn won the competition with a distance of 56 feet, four inches.
400m (8:35 p.m.) -- Prelims
Competitor: Matt Rowe (Sr., Orem, Utah)
Senior Matt Rowe failed to qualify for Saturday's finals in the 400m, finishing seventh in the first of four heats. Rowe turned in a time of 47.47 in the event.
Rowe finished 24th overall, while Jerry Harris of TCU will enter Friday's finals with the top qualifying time of 44.92.
400m HURDLES (9:50 p.m.) -- Prelims
Competitors: Greg Flint (Sr., Kaysville, Utah); Kansas Whitear (Jr., Peterson, Utah)
Senior Greg Flint finished fifth in the fourth heat of the 400-meter hurdles, taking 18th overall with a time of 51.29. Teammate Kansas Whitear finished seventh in the fourth heat, placing 25th overall with a time of 52.47.