True freshman Tayvon Kitchen set a new Brigham Young University (BYU) men’s outdoor 5000-meter school record on April 18 at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, California. Kitchen finished third overall with a time of 13:16.27, surpassing the previous school record by more than six seconds.
Kitchen’s performance marks the third fastest time in the NCAA this season and continues his successful debut year after previously setting BYU’s indoor 3000-meter record. The freshman from Central Point, Oregon also holds the second-fastest all-time BYU mark in the indoor 5000 meters and improved his personal best by nearly three seconds during this race.
“It’s historic, and it means a lot to me,” Kitchen said of his achievement. “Taking the record from a guy like Casey Clinger, he’s an incredible athlete, and BYU is an amazing school with an amazing program that trained guys now running at the top of the world. So to put myself on a list with names like Clinger and Connor Mantz, it’s so special and a dream come true for me.”
Other Cougars competing in the event included Carter Cutting, who ran his first collegiate 5000 meters in 13:51.05; Garrett Stanford, who won his heat with a personal best of 13:48.99; and Jefferson McMullin, who placed tenth in his section with another personal best of 13:59.32.
Additional performances saw Brayden Packard breaking under one minute fifty seconds for the first time in the men’s 800 meters with a time of 1:49.58 alongside teammate Caleb Johnson. In Thursday’s events, Creed Thompson led BYU runners in the men’s ten thousand meters finishing fifth at 29:42.00 while Hunter Kitchen made his collegiate debut placing ninth at 28:15.08.
Looking ahead, BYU will host its next meet—the Robison Invitational—at Clarence F. Robison Track and Field from April 29 through May 2.
