EUGENE, Ore. — BYU alum and professional On runner Courtney Wayment punched her ticket to Paris in the 3000-meter steeplechase as she placed second in the USATF Olympic Trials Thursday night at Hayward Field.
Wayment ran a career-best of 9:06.50: nearly three seconds faster than Emma Coburn's previous meet record and the No. 5 time in the world this year.
With one lap remaining in the race, Wayment found herself in the fourth position. A clean water jump and final barrier propelled her to pass two women and punch her ticket to Paris.
From Layton, Utah, Wayment has shown on the national steeplechase scene over the past four seasons after placing just a spot shy of the 2021 Olympic team with a fourth-place finish at the trials in 2021. Wayment went on to finish second at the USATF Championships in 2022 and third in 2023.
Wayment was a four-time national champion during her Cougar distance career. Those national titles included the 3000m steeplechase and indoor 5000m in 2022, along with the indoor 3000m and distance medley relay in 2021. She holds the program's school records in both 3000m steeplechase and indoor 5000m.
Lexy Halladay-Lowry placed ninth in the steeplechase final, clocking a new personal best of 9:22.77 to improve her No. 2 all-time mark in the BYU record books. The junior from Meridian, Idaho achieved the Olympic Standard of 9:23.00, but will not qualify for Paris due to placement.
During her 2024 season, Halladay-Lowry claimed the Cougars' first Big 12 individual championship as she won the indoor 3000m and earned First Team All-America honors in both 3000 and 5000m at the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships. Halladay-Lowry will return to BYU to round out her collegiate eligibility in the fall.
Adidas professional and Cougar alum Anna Camp-Bennett placed third overall in the 1500m as she clocked 4:06.95 and passed eight women in the final 100-meters to earn her spot in Friday's semifinal. Camp-Bennett won an NCAA national championship in the event in 2021 as she set the program's school record of 4:08.53.
Alum Abraham Alvarado placed second is his heat of the 800m and eighth overall, running 1:46.76 to advance to the semifinal round. Alvarado graduated from BYU in 2018 and currently holds the program's No. 2 all-time mark in the indoor 800m at 1:47.46 and is ranked No. 4 outdoor with 1:46.62. From Winton, California, Alvarado will compete again Friday at 6:39 p.m. PDT for a spot in Sunday's final.
Dallin Shurts placed 11th, throwing 60.17m/197-5 in the men's discus qualifying round to earn his place in Saturday's final. Shurts is BYU's record-holder in the event with his personal-best throw of 66.58m/218-5.
Junior Casey Clinger placed 22nd in the men's 5000m first round, running 13:36.35. Clinger also placed fifth in the 10,000m at the USATF Olympic Trials running 27:59.71.
Junior Sebastian Fernandez placed 35th in the 800m, running 1:54.17. Despite coming up short of the next round, Fernandez finishes the season with BYU's No. 2 all-time mark in the outdoor 800m at 1:46.32 and No. 3 indoor with a 1:47.63.
Riley Chamberlain placed 37th in the women's 1500m, running 4:18.62. The sophomore from Loomis, California concludes her 2024 campaign with a national title in the DMR, First Team All-America honors in the indoor 3000m and Second Team All-America honors in the 1500m.
Quotes
Courtney Wayment
“That fourth place never leaves you. When you watch your dreams run away from you in the last 30 seconds of a race, it makes you feel something that you don’t ever want to feel again. This year the honor is all mine and it just goes out to all the people in my corner who support me.”
Diljeet Taylor: Associate Director of Track and Field
"I am so proud Courtney's gutsy effort today. She was composed at the end of the race and executed the last water jump and barrier perfectly. She raced with confidence and I’m excited for her to take this momentum into Paris."
Up Next
The Cougars will be back in action for the USATF Olympic Trials Friday with Alysa Keller competing in the javelin, Anna Camp-Bennett in the 1500m and Abraham Alvarado in the 800m.