AZUSA, Calif. - After a day full of decathlon and heptathlon competition, day one of the Bryan Clay Invitational was closed out with several action-packed distance races, including huge performances by Cougar runners on their home track.

PROVISIONAL DISTANCE PERFORMANCES

Jenny Sandoval won the women's 10K invitational on Wednesday night, running a time of 33:10.74 to lead a field that included several Division I competitors. Not only did Sandoval's race earn her the event victory over an elite field of runners, but the time earned Sandoval the top spot on the Division II provisional qualifying list. Sandoval's time is more than 30 seconds faster than any other athlete on the provisional list so far this season. 

In the men's 3K steeplechase, Ayrton Ledesma broke his own school record, which he set in late March, as he ran a time of 8:50.64 this evening for an eighth-place finish. Ledesma is now No. 5 on the national qualifying list. Nixon Korir also improved upon his provisional time in the steeplechase, as he posted a time of 9:08.66 to maintain the No. 12 spot on the qualifying list. 

Josh Velasco, who entered tonight's 10K race already on the provisional qualifying list, improved upon his time by nearly seven seconds by crossing the finish line with a personal record time of 30:25.34. 

HEPTATHLON DAY ONE

Nicole Warwick, Alysa Henry and Luisa Fischer opened the two-day heptathlon competition on Wednesday in Group A. Warwick is the highest ranked Cougar following day one, as she sits in 9th place with 3,229 points through four events. Warwick's highest event finish was in the shot put, where she was seventh with a mark of 11.96m (39' 3") for 658 points. Warwick also turned in a career-best clearance in the high jump (1.64m/5' 4 ½"), which earned her 783 points. 

Henry, who finished with a point total of 3,110 after day one, had her highest finish in the shot put, where she was 9th. In the event, Henry had a mark of 11.62m (38' 1 ½") to score 636 points. In the high jump, Henry set a new personal record, clearing 1.67m (5' 5 ¾") to add 818 points

Fischer scored 2,866 points through the first four events. Fischer's top event in day one was the shot put, where she placed fourth and scored 692 points with a mark of 12.46m (40' 10 ½"). In both of the track events on day one (100 hurdles & 200), Fischer set new personal bests. To open the day, Fischer ran a 100 hurdles time of 15.71 seconds (750 points), and she ended the day in the 200 with a time of 28.32 seconds (606 points).

Warwick, Henry and Fischer will close out the heptathlon with three more events tomorrow, as they will compete in the long jump, javelin and 800. 

DECATHLON DAY ONE

Aaron Worrell and Lincoln Krog, who are representing Azusa Pacific in the decathlon, competed in the first five events on Wednesday. Worrell is competing in decathlon group B, and Krog is in decathlon group A.

Worrell scored 3,805 points on day one, by way of placing in the top-3 in two different events. Worrell won the high jump in group B, clearing 2.00m (6' 6 ¾") for 803 points. In the long jump, Worrell took third, as he leaped a distance of 6.94m (22' 9 ¼") for 799 points. Worrell finished off day one with a career-best effort on the track, as he ran the 400 in a time of 50.37 seconds to add 798 points to his first day total.

Through the first five events, Krog tallied 3,636 points. Krog placed top-10 in three different events on Wednesday. In the long jump, Krog was seventh with a distance of 7.07m (23' 2 ½") to score 830 points. Krog ran the ninth-fastest 400 time to close out the day, finishing in 50.92 seconds for 773 points. To open his day, Krog took tenth in the 100 (11.34 seconds) for 786 points.

Worrell and Krog are set to compete in the 110 hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500 run tomorrow to close out the decathlon. Worrell and Krog will need to surpass 6,420 points to meet the provisional standard. 

PERSONAL RECORDS SET ON DAY ONE

Aaron Worrell | 400 - 50.37 seconds

Luisa Fischer | 100 Hurdles - 15.71 seconds

Alysa Henry | High Jump - 1.67m (5' 5 3/4")

Nicole Warwick | High Jump - 1.64m (5' 4 1/2")

Luisa Fischer | 200 - 28.32 seconds

Ayrton Ledesma | Steeplechase - 8:50.64

Josh Velasco | 10K - 30:25.34

Michael Schneider | 10K - 30:41.79

AZUSA, Calif. – Azusa Pacific wrapped up the 2022 Bryan Clay Invitational on Friday, and the Cougars closed out the week with several new or improved provisional marks, as well as personal records.

NEW PROVISIONAL TIMES/MARKS

Briseida Garcia Meza, Jermel Jones II and Eliana Saunders performed their way onto the provisional qualifying lists for their respective events. Running in the women's 1500 invite in the evening, Garcia Meza ran a personal best time of 4:28.27. Garcia Meza is now No. 13 on the qualifying list, and she joins teammates Jenny Sandoval (No. 16) and Mikayla Akers (No. 23) on the list for the event. 

Jones II met the provisional standard in the men's triple jump, reaching a distance of 15.05m (49' 4 ½") for a season-best mark. With the leap, Jones II took fifth place and is now No. 10 on the qualifying list.

In the women's high jump invitational, Saunders cleared a personal-best height of 1.68m (5' 6"). Saunders' career-day surpassed the provisional standard, and she is tied at No. 24 in the nation for the event.

IMPROVED PROVISIONAL TIMES & MARKS

Six Cougars improved upon their provisional standing during Friday's competition. On the track, Jaylah Walker, Alayna Verner, Mechaela Hyacinth and the women's 4x400 relay team ran season-best times, while Jones II and Raymon Harper moved up the qualifying list in field events. 

Walker, who entered Friday at No. 14 on the national list with a time of 14.07 in the 100 hurdles, jumped up to No. 7 in the nation with a race of 13.87 seconds. Hyacinth, ranked No. 9 in the 100 heading into this weekend, ran a time of 11.53 seconds to jump up into a tie for No. 3 on the national qualifying list. In the 400, Verner sat at No. 14 in the country heading into the Bryan Clay Invitational, however, Verner ran a personal-best 54.89 on day three, which moved her up to a 10th-place tie on the national list. In addition to her performance in the 400, Verner also ran the first leg of the Cougars' 4x400 relay that posted a season-best time of 3:44.13, which moved Azusa Pacific up from No. 7 to No. 6. Verner was followed by Marian Ledesma and Kiayra Holmes, and the relay was anchored by Walker.

Jones II, who won the NCAA Indoor National Championship in the long jump, jumped from No. 9 up to No. 2 nationally with a season-best mark of 7.75m (25' 5 ¼") on Friday. Jones II's leap was over a foot better than his previous outdoor season-best this year. Over in the men's high jump invitational, Harper also delivered a season-best performance. Harper was able to clear 2.08m (6' 9 ¾"), which moved him up from No. 16 into a tie for No. 12. 

WAGENVELD WINS POLE VAULT

For the second-consecutive meet, Sara Wagenveld won the women's pole vault competition. On Friday, Wagenveld was able to clear 3.96m (12' 11 ¾") to secure the event victory. Wagenveld's victory highlighted several top-5 event finishes for Azusa Pacific, as the Cougars were able to perform at a high level against elite competition throughout the day on Friday.

TOP-5 EVENT FINISHERS ON DAY THREE

2nd: 

4x100 Relay (Trinity Miller, Kiayra Holmes, Alayna Verner, Mechaela Hyacinth) |

Chin Agina | High Jump - 1.71m (5' 7 ¼")

Jermel Jones II | Long Jump -7.75m (25' 5 ¼")

3rd:

4x400 Relay (Alayna Verner, Marian Ledesma, Kiayra Holmes, Jaylah Walker) | 3:44.13

4th:

Mechaela Hyacinth | 100 - 11.53 seconds

Jaylah Walker | 400 hurdles - 1:00.70 seconds

5th:

Jermel Jones II | Triple Jump - 15.05m (49' 4 ½")

Raymon Harper | High Jump - 2.08m (6' 9 ¾")

PERSONAL RECORDS SET ON DAY THREE

Juwan Perkins | 400 - 53.28 seconds

Alayna Verner | 400 - 54.89 seconds

Trinity Miller | 100 - 12.01 seconds

Ashanti Perkins | 100 - 12.47 seconds

Alana Perkins | 100 - 13.60 seconds

Ashanti Perkins | 200 - 25.53 seconds

Brynn Santos | 200 - 27.09

Briseida Garcia Meza | Women's 1500 l - 4:28.27

Ben Sumner | Men's 1500 - 3:50.05

Josh Velasco | Men's 1500 - 3:52.90 

Adam Alnazer | Men's 1500 - 3:55.97

Nixon Korir | Men's 1500 - 3:53.89

Riley Burns | Men's 1500 - 3:56.31

Kristilyn Hetherington | Women's 1500 - 4:55.90

Jayson Velarde | Men's 1500 - 3:59.65

Dider Sandoval | Men's 1500 - 4:05.45

Collin McMillan | Men's 1500 - 4:09.61

Nic Acosta | Men's 1500 - 4:07.27

Eliana Saunders | High Jump - 1.68m (5' 6")