Click here for results of the Boise State Team Invitational
Click here for results of the Husky Classic
PROVO -- BYU distance runner Kyle Perry set his second national automatic qualifying mark of the 2008 indoor season on Saturday, this time in the 3000 meters with a time of 7:51.20 at the Husky Classic in Seattle.
Perry, a junior from Sandy, Utah, already qualified for nationals in the mile on the same track Feb. 2 with a time of 3:59.16.
"I sat right behind the rabbit the whole time and my body was hurting the entire race," Perry said, admitting he didn't feel well just minutes before the race. "Every time I thought about slowing down I just pushed a little harder and figured I could rest when the race was finished."
Perry's time is the second fastest in the nation so far this season. He finished in second place behind Northern Arizona's David McNeill.
Keith Jensen, a junior from Coppell, Texas, set a national provisional mark in the 800-meter run at the same meet, crossing the line in 1:48.85. Jensen's time is the third fastest in the country.
Running in fifth place for most of the race, Jensen had a strong kick and caught two runners over the last 200 meters to finish third overall and first among college runners.
"I am ecstatic about Keith's time, and it looks like that is going to be enough to get him into nationals," said BYU distance coach Ed Eyestone.
While those two athletes, along with others, were busy on the West Coast, the rest of the BYU men's and women's athletes were competing in Nampa, Idaho, at the Boise State Team Invitational.
The BYU women's team performed well, with multiple athletes setting personal best marks.
Sophomore Kindy Longmore set a career-best time in the 200 meters, crossing the line in 24.97. Sophomore Madara Dzable jumped 39-04.00 (11.99 meters) in the triple jump, good enough for a personal best and second place in the event.
"It was a low-key meet, and we performed well today," said BYU women's coach Craig Poole. "Our training was pretty tough over the past week, so it will be nice to get ready for the conference meet coming up."
The BYU men's pole vaulters took the one through four spots with sophomore Chris Little leading the way.
Little won the event, vaulting 17-03.00 (5.26 meters). Whitney Neves (5.05 meters) Matt Weirich (5.05 meters) and Brad Ellertson (4.90 meters) were the following three finishers.
Also performing well for the men was Tanner Emrich, a sophomore from Chehalis, Wash. Emrich set a season-best time of 8.44 in the 60-meter hurdles, good enough for second place.
"I feel really good about our team right now," said BYU men's coach Mark Robison of his No. 5-ranked Cougars. "Pretty much everybody is healthy right now, and I'm really excited to have a week off to train and get ready for the conference meet."