Former Cougars Take On 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials

PROVO, Utah – Former BYU national champions Conner Mantz and Clayton Young headline five former Cougars who will race in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando, Florida on Saturday.

RACE INFORMATION
Event: Men's Marathon
Date: Saturday, Feb. 3
Start: 8:10 a.m. MST
Location: Orlando, Florida

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Streaming: Peacock

The Race
Nico Montanez, Jacob Heslington and Connor Weaver join Mantz and Young as former BYU distance runners set to vie for a spot on the U.S. Men's Olympic Marathon Team. 

Mantz, a two-time NCAA Cross Country Champion at BYU, enters the race in possession of the top overall seed after clocking 2:07:47 to finish sixth at the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Oct. 8. Young followed closely behind, finishing with a time of 2:08:00 to notch seventh. 

The Olympic Marathon Trials are part of the selection system that USA Track and Field uses to add athletes to the Olympic Team for the games held in Paris later this summer. Per the World Athletics organization, a country is awarded 'quota positions' based on the athletes from said country with the qualifying standard (2:08:10 for men). U.S. quota positions will be filled by the top two finishers at this weekend's trials in accordance with requirements outlined by the World Athletics Council.

The top two athletes across the finish line Saturday will be named to the Olympic Marathon Team if they have run under 2:11:30 during the Qualification Period (November 6, 2022 - May 5, 2024). A third place spot could be unlocked if an athlete runs the Olympic Standard (2:08:10) or is ranked in the top 80 on the World Marathon list by April 30. That spot would be reallocated for the third place finisher at the trials. For a complete list of qualifications, see the current. For further qualifying information, see the current USATF Selection Proceedures.

History of Cougars In the Olympic Marathon

In the modern Olympic era, only two former Cougars represented the United States in the marathon: Ed Eyestone and Jared Ward. There has yet to be an Olympic Marathon with multiple former BYU athletes competing in the same race.

Eyestone raced in both the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Marathons. Hosted in Seoul, South Korea the '88 Olympic Games saw Eyestone place 29th overall while running a 2:19:09 across the finish line. Four years later, Eyestone placed 13th overall in the '92 Olympic Games hosted in Barcelona, Spain, running a 2:15:23. 

Ward competed in the 2016 Olympic Marathon, hosted in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. He placed sixth overall, finishing with a time of 2:11.30. 

Quotes

Ed Eyestone, BYU Director of Track and Field/Mantz and Young's Professional Coach

"Conner and Clayton have done more mileage in preparation for this race and the quality of their speed, tempo and marathon pace work has been unsurpassed. Their build up for this race has been better than their build up for the Chicago Marathon where they posted the fastest two times of the year for Americans, so I am very excited at the prospects of a very successful day on Saturday. Overall, I'm optimistic about the opportunity for great things to happen this weekend." 

Conner Mantz

"The Olympic Trials marathon is a very exciting race. I feel well prepared for it, and expect it to be a tough race but also a celebration of fitness. Entering the race as the favorite is exciting, but I like to keep in mind that anything can happen in the race so I can't get complacent. I'm looking forward to this race a lot because I think it will be a good way to show appreciation to all the many family members, coaches, trainers and friends for their sacrifice in helping me get here."

Clayton Young

"After hitting the Olympic standard in Chicago I knew that if I could replicate my training and performance that I could make the U.S. Olympic marathon team. My training has been just as good, if not better, than my build up to Chicago – now I just have to execute. I'm feeling excited to celebrate my fitness and take a swing at making my first Olympic team." 

Nico Montanez

"Coach Eyestone knows how to train his guys at the next level especially when it comes to the marathon, I am excited to showcase my fitness as a professional runner, but more importantly as a Cougar! Having my best race is the best way I can tell Coach Eyestone thank you for his guidance."

Connor Weaver

"I'm going into the trials looking to put myself in the mix and compete to be in the top three. I feel like I can run 2:11:30 or better and I want to give it everything I have, even though I'm definitely not one of the top runners going into the race. I have nothing to lose and everything to gain – so I'm going to race like it."

Jake Heslington

"Competing at the Olympic Marathon Trials has been a goal since my collegiate career finished in 2020. For it to be finally here brings on a lot of emotions. There have been a lot of ups and downs in the last year, so I am very grateful that I am healthy and ready to run fast."