Cougars Move Up With Robison Invite Performances

PROVO -- Multiple season-best marks fell while BYU athletes went up national and conference performance lists for BYU as the Cougars closed out competition at the Robison Invitational on Saturday at the Clarence F. Robison track and field complex.

“We had a wonderful meet,” said BYU head coach Mark Robison. “Things just moved along and the weather was phenomenal .”

Daniel Lawson’s shot put throw of 17.84 meters catapulted the senior from 51st to 25th on the national performance list and from 21st to 12th in the west region in addition to being a career-best outdoor throw for Lawson.

Fellow thrower Leif Arrhenius again improved his distance in the shot put while also submitting a top-25 mark in his first hammer throw competition of the outdoor season. Arrhenius’ shot put of 18.42 meters is a lifetime and Mountain West Conference best, moving the junior up from 18th to 9th in the national performance list and 3rd in the west region.

Arrhenius added a mark of 59.80 meters in the hammer throw, moving him into first place in the MWC and 25th in the west. Arrhenius hadn’t thrown the hammer in more than a year, including practice.

“Leif was phenomenal,” Robison said. “The shot was incredible. It was just a fun competition.”

Three Cougars improved their season-high marks in the 400-meter hurdles led by Kevin Ahlstrom’s 52:65. Sean Adams moved into the conference’s top ten in the event with a 53:20 while Rob Skidmore finished in 53:85. Lance Walker also finished third at 52:76 for BYU.

Brian Weirich posted a time of 4:07.87 in the mile a time which, after conversion to a 1500-meter time with altitude adjustment, will move Weirich about 30 spots up in the national performance list to around 35th and up from 27th into the top ten of scores posted in the west region.

Rhyan Atrice placed second in the 400 meters at 47.56, a season best that moves him into second place in the conference. James Derek McCallister took fifth at 48.45, Steven Hart went sixth at 48.48 and Kevin Biesinger placed seventh at 48.66 to give BYU four of the top ten runners.

BYU’s two height masters, Chris Little and Trevor Heiner, won the pole vault and high jump, respectively. Little vaulted to a height of 5.20 meters while Heiner cleared 2.07 meters.

Anse Myller DeAraujo also placed first, winning the triple jump with a mark of 15.05 meters. Kyle Mills followed closely in second place at 14.97 meters while David Holgate placed fifth at 12.99 meters.

In the 110-meter hurdles, Lance Walker and TJ Emrich both had their best races of the season. Walker finished fourth in a time of 14.71 moving him from sixth to fourth in the MWC while Emrich was right behind him in fifth at 14.83 seconds, going from eighth to fifth in the conference.

BYU will compete with Utah State and Weber State next week in addition to hosting various high schools across the state in the Tri-Meet next weekend at the Robison complex April 30-May 1.

CLICK HERE for complete results from the Robison Invitational.