BYU pole vaulter Zach McWhorter goes up for a vault as he trains together with his dad, Rick, who can be his coach, on the Smith Fieldhouse at BYU in Provo on Friday, March 5, 2021. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
It was an enormous day for present and former BYU athletes on the USA Outside Nationwide Observe and Subject Championships Saturday in Eugene, Ore. Moreover Kenneth Rooks’ exceptional come-from-behind win within the 3,000-meter steeplechase (see most important story), former BYU athletes Zach McWhorter and Courtney Wayment completed second and third, respectively, of their occasions to win a spot on the U.S. group that can compete on this planet championships subsequent month in Budapest.
McWhorter, who graduated from BYU final spring, has continued to compete on the skilled circuit whereas being coached by his father Rick, a Provo surgeon and former BYU pole vaulter. He delivered one of many larger upsets of the day on Saturday, inserting second within the pole vault with a personal-record clearance of 19 ft, 2 3/4 inches.
“That was unbelievable,” stated BYU field-event coach Mark Robison. “He PR’d twice within the largest meet of his life.”
Wayment, one other former BYU athlete, led a lot of the ladies’s steeplechase closing, however with two laps to go she was overtaken by 10-time nationwide champion Emma Coburn, who was then overtaken herself by Krissy Gear within the closing homestretch. Gear, a middle-distance runner who has ventured into the steeplechase, raced previous Coburn to complete in 9:12.81. Coburn was second in 9:13.60, Wayment third in 9:14.63.