Women of Utah Go Lights Out at West Coast Relays
CLOVIS, Calif. – The Utah track & field team had a great day competing at the West Coast Relays, winning a pair of events and setting several personal records as well as school records at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Friday.
Poppy Tank got the Utes off to a terrific start by not only won the women's 10k at the West Coast Relays, but also broke teammate Bella Williams' record that was just set earlier this month at the Hayward Premiere (33:17.07) with a time of 32:52.65.
"A really terrific, poised and confident effort by poppy this morning," said head coach Kyle Kepler. "There were several variables that changed leading up to this race and she dealt with all of them like a pro."
Early morning 10k school record? @poppytank in 32:52.65.
All before I even had my coffee. Nbd.
LETS GO UTES HAPPY FRIDAY!!!! #goutes #utahtfxc pic.twitter.com/zmFn76rQ8i
— Utah T&F/XC (@Utah_trackfield) April 30, 2021
Later in the morning, Ragan Crofts threw a personal best 43.41m (142'5") in the javelin on her sixth and final attempt to finish fourth. That final attempt was the senior's only time breaking the 40-meter mark on Friday to notch a new PR.
Donna Ntambue joined in on the fun with her teammates by running a new PR time of 11.99 in the 100m for sixth overall. That mark moves her into third all-time in the record books, passing Holly Stallman's mark of 12.03 set back on April 7, 2017.
Brooke Manson held the lead in the 800m through the first 500m before settling for a third-place finish at 2:06.43 – which was the second-fastest time for her this season. Meanwhile, a late kick from Sarah Newton in the final 150m saw her come from the back of the pack to finish fifth and record her fastest time of the season at 2:07.39. Whitney Hessler rounded out the trio of Utes running in the 800m with a mark of 2:07.84.
Later in the day, Ntambue added her name to the all-time list in the 200m when she ran the eighth fastest time in school history (24.81). It was just the second time she ran in this event and the first that was wind legal. Prior to Ntambue's run, Ruby Jane Mathewson clocked in with a 1:03.24 in a loaded 400m hurdles event.
Utah's great day out on the track did not stop there with the 4x400m crew of Kelise Davis, Lauren O'Banion, Brooklyn James and Jackie Martin blazing around the track to capture the event with the second-fastest time in program history (3:40.16). That time would check in as the 17th fastest time in the west region heading into this weekend's contests.
The eventful day for Utah continued with Sophie Ryan registering yet another PR for Utah, this time in the women's 1500m run with a time of 4:26.66 – surpassing her previous mark of 4:28.73 set back on April 19, 2019, at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Anna Busatto picked up a new PR in the 1500m as well, clocking in at 4:24.87. After an hour-ish delay due to rolling blackouts in the area, Morgan Jensen and Sara Leonard closed out the day for the Utes in the 5k.
Utah will have an early flight home on Saturday, May 1, with some Utes getting a very short turnaround as they prepare to compete at the Weber State Twilight – which starts up this Monday, May 3, before wrapping up on Tuesday, May 4.
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