BOULDER, Colo. — BYU alums and upcoming 2024 Olympic Marathoners Conner Mantz and Clayton Young represented the United States with fellow BYU alum and Olympian Jared Ward in the Bolder Boulder 10k on Memorial Day in Boulder, Colorado with Mantz claiming the individual victory for the second straight year.
| Placement | Name | Time |
| 1 | Conner Mantz | 29:12 |
| 2 | Yemane Haileselassie | 29:14 |
| 3 | Sam Chelanga | 29:21 |
| 4 | Reuben Mosip | 29:30 |
| 5 | Biya Simbassa | 29:37 |
| 6 | Milkesa Mengesha | 29:38 |
| 7 | Clayton Young | 29:38 |
| 8 | Reed Fischer | 29:41 |
| 9 | Raymond Magut | 30:03 |
| 10 | Josphat Too | 30:15 |
| 11 | Tsegay Tuemay | 30:18 |
| 12 | Abraham Herdandez | 30:39 |
| 13 | Alene Belay | 30:47 |
| 14 | Jared Ward | 32:05 |
| 15 | Tesfu Tewelde | 32:29 |
"I have a new Memorial Day routine: go for a run, mow the lawn, visit the cemetery and then watch Conner Mantz win the Bolder Boulder 10k," said BYU Director of Track and Field Ed Eyestone (Eyestone also serves as Mantz and Young's professional coach). "It was a very gutsy performance, leading and pushing the pace most of the way, getting passed with 400 to go and then battling back inside the stadium for the win. Four weeks into his 16-week Olympic build up, he looked very good.
Mantz took the individual victory in the Elite Men's division of the International Team Challenge in 29 minutes and 12 seconds. He went for back-to-back victories having previously won the 2023 competition.
"It was an honor racing with Jared Ward and Clayton Young as teammates at the Bolder Boulder," said Mantz. "The race was tough, but I’m proud of how we did as a team by finishing second."
Conner Mantz back-to-back @bolderboulder champion! pic.twitter.com/8j2JKoG9vF
— Karl Winter (@KarlWinterTV) May 27, 2024
Both Mantz and Young represented Team USA (Red) along with fellow Olympian and BYU alum Jared Ward. The team finished second overall. Mantz and Young were the top-three finishers at the 2024 Team USA Marathon Olympic Trials this past February in Orlando, Florida. Both earned official spots for Team USA in Olympic Trials and will compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in the men's marathon.
"Clayton ran really well finishing seventh and Jared in 14th," Eyestone continued. "It’s fun that all three of the BYU boys could be on the same U.S. team. Clayton has come off an achilles injury but this performance has him now in a very good spot for the 12-week build up to Paris."
Race conditions in Boulder were 72 degrees and sunny to start the race. Mantz maintained position in the front part of the pack to start the race. Inside the 20-minute mark, the 27-year-old surged forward to try to distance the field. Battling through the remaining kilometers, Mantz went stride-for-stride with Yemane Haileselassie through the last 600-meters till final homestretch to the finish inside Folsom Field.
Clayton Young finished seventh overall in 29 minutes and 38 seconds. After overcoming some injury challenges the past few weeks, the 2019 NCAA 10,000-meter champion earned a new personal best for the course, shaving off 37 seconds.
Jared Ward rounded out the pack of Cougar alums as the third member of Team USA (Red). The 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Marathoner finished 14th overall in 32 minutes and five seconds.
Mantz and Young will continue preparations for the Olympic Games this summer with the men's marathon set for August 10.