Bryan Clay Invitational 2024: 3 key storylines to watch at Azusa Pacific

Each year, the Bryan Clay Invitational pits some of the best distance runners in the world against each other while pursuing varying standards and records.

The 2024 edition is no different, with stars at the collegiate and professional levels preparing to run fast in Azusa, California.

Here are three of the top headlines to read ahead of the Bryan Clay Invitational.

Parker Valby sets Lisa Koll's 10,000 mark on record clock

Since winning her first national title at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships, Parker Valby has been nothing short of phenomenal. She has won four national titles and broke the 5,000 m collegiate record twice.

This weekend, however, the Gator superstar is entering new territory and will run 10,000 meters for the first time. Tomorrow at 9:30 p.m. (PST), Valby makes her 10K debut at the Bryan Clay Invitational at Azusa Pacific University in California. Given her track record last year, it's hard to believe that Lisa Koll's (Iowa State) record of 31:18.07 from 2010 is in jeopardy.

Another notable colleague to keep an eye on is BYU's Jenna Hutchins, who is making her 10,000m debut in the middle of her first full season in Provo.

Benard Keter leads the fast field in the hunt for Paris Standard

Quite the steeplechase field is gathering in Azusa this weekend as some of America's top athletes set their sights on the Paris Olympic standard of 8:15.00.

2020 Olympic finalist Benard Keter enters his outdoor debut in 2024 as the top seed and has a chip on his shoulder after narrowly missing out on the final in Budapest last August.

Keter made it to the final three American teams in the event, posting a personal best of 8:17.19. However, if he wants to have the best chance of winning the red-white-blue for the fourth time in a row, he will need to gain a lead of just over two seconds to improve his chances.

Alongside him are fellow Americans Jackson Mestler (8:24) and Craig Nowak (8:27). The first box to check off the list is the US Olympic Trials standard of 9:41, both of which should have no problem hitting.

Christian Noble, who recently returned to the 3,000m steeplechase, will also be one to watch, as the American made his season debut a few weeks ago in Raleigh, North Carolina, clocking a time of 8:27.75.

Both John Gay (Canada) and Victor Kibiego (Kenya) will also dominate the race as they too follow the Olympic standard.

Habtom Samuel scores NCAA outdoor 5K record

No outside track student has run under 13:10 since May 2022, but New Mexcio's Habtom Samuel could very well be the next man to do so.

Just a few weeks ago, Samuel had the race of his life: He ran 26:53.84 at the TEN in San Juan Capistrano, California.

Samuel finished just behind Nico Young and the two became the first college students to ever run under 27:00.

The 21-year-old from Eritrea also managed a time of 13:14.85 on the indoor oval in December, and with a fast field and ideal conditions, Abdimamid Nur's outdoor record of 13:06.32 could be in jeopardy.

Samuel won't be alone, however, as a few other colleagues wouldn't mind leaving the West Coast with a fast time of their own.

Wisconsin's Bob Liking, BYU's Casey Clinger and Oklahoma State's Brian Musau are just three of many college stars to watch for this weekend.

When will the 2024 Bryan Clay Invitational take place?

The Bryan Clay Invitational begins Thursday, April 11th and ends Saturday, April 13th.

How to watch the 2024 Bryan Clay Invitational

The Bryan Clay Invitational will be streamed on FloTrack and the FloSports app. Replays, highlights and breaking news of the matches will be available on both platforms.

Schedule for the 2024 Bryan Clay Invitational on Thursday, April 11

Heptathlon and decathlon

• 12:00 PM EST: Heptathlon E and F 100 Hurdles (4 heats). Approximate 200m start time: 3:30 p.m. EST
• 1:00 p.m. EST: Decathlon D and C 100 meters (4 heats). Approximate 400m start time: 7:00 p.m. EST
• 1:30 p.m. EST: Heptathlon C and D 100 Hurdles (4 heats). Approximate 200-meter start time: 6:00 p.m. EST
• 5:00 p.m. EST: Decathlon A and B 100 meters (4 heats). Approximate 400m start time: 11:10 p.m. EST
• 6:00 p.m. EST: Heptathlon A and B 100m Hurdles (4 heats). Approximate 200m start time: 10:15 p.m. EST

Track events

• 7:45 p.m. EST: W Open Steeple [slow to fast] 5 heats
• 8:45 p.m. EST: M Open Steeple [slow to fast] 5 heats
• 9:45 p.m. EST: M Invite Steeple [slow to fast] 3 heats
• 10:15 p.m. EST: Hep 200 m [Section A and B]** 4 heats
• 10:30 PM EST: W Invite Steeple [fast to slow] 3 heats
• ** 8:15 PM EST: 5 minute delay after W Invite Ht 1 before Ht 2
• 11:10pm EST: 400m in December [Section A and B]** 4 heats
• 11:25 PM EST: W Invite 10k Run 2
• 12:00 a.m. EST (next day): M Invitation to 10K Run 2
• 12:30 a.m. EST (next day): W Invite 10k Heat 1 [Fastest]
• 1:10 a.m. EST (next day): M 10K Invitation 1 [Fastest]
• 1:45 a.m. EST (next day): W Invite 10k Run 3
• 2:20 a.m. EST (next day): M Invitation to 10K Run 3. Finish by 2:50 a.m. EST

Schedule for the 2024 Bryan Clay Invitational on Friday, April 12

Events field

Hammer Throw: In the Citrus College Stadium Hammer Cage

• 12:00 PM EST: Men's Hammer (4 Flights and FINALE)
• 3:30 p.m. EST: Women's Hammer (3 flights and FINAL)
• 7:00 p.m. EST: Men's Discus (3 flights and final)
• Discus Throw: At the Azusa Pacific Stadium Track
• 12:30 p.m. EST: Women's Discus (2 flights and final)

Heptathlon Day 2 with estimated times

• 12:00 PM EST: Heptathlon LJ [Section F] 1:00 JT, 3:15 800m
• 1:00 PM EST: Heptathlon LJ [Section E] 2:00 JT, 3:15 800m
• 2:00 PM EST: Heptathlon LJ [Section D] 3:00 JT, 4:45 800m
• 3:00 PM EST: Heptathlon LJ [Section C] 4:15 JT, 6:05 800m
• 4:15 p.m. EST: Heptathlon LJ [Section B] 5:30 JT, 7:20 800m
• 5:30 PM EST: Heptathlon LJ [Section A] 6:45 JT, 9:05 800m

Decathlon day 2 with estimated times

• 2:30 p.m. EST: Decathlon 110 H [Section D] 3:10 DT, 4:10 PV, 7:15 JT Runway West. 9:15 p.m. 1500 m
• 3:00 PM EST: Decathlon 110 H [Section C]4:10 DT, 5:10 PV, 8:00 JT Runway East, 21:20 1500 m
• 4:00 p.m. EST: Decathlon 110 H [Section B]5:10 DT, 6:30 PV, 9:00 JT Runway to be announced, 22:50 1500 m
• 4:30 p.m. EST: Decathlon 110 H [Section A]6:10 DT, 7:10 PV, 9:40 JT Runway to be announced, 22:55 1500 m

Track events

• 10:00 a.m. EST: M Open 10K Race [slow to fast] 2 heats
• 11:05 a.m. EST: W Open 10K [fast to slow] 2 heats
• 12:25 p.m. EST: M Open B 5K [fast to slow] 3 heats
• 1:10 PM EST: W Open B 5K [fast to slow] 3 runs end at 2:10 p.m
• 2:30 p.m. EST: Decathlon 110 H Section D 4 heats
• 3:00 PM EST: Decathlon 110 H Section C 4 heats
• 3:15 p.m. EST: Hepathlon 800m, Sections F and E, 2 heats
• 4:00 PM EST: Decathlon 110 H Section B 4 Heats
• 4:30 p.m. EST: Decathlon 110 H Section A 4 heats
• 4:45 p.m. EST: Heptathlon 800m, Section D, Heat 1
• 4:50 p.m. EST: W Open 800 [fast to slow] 24 runs – Waterfall (12/run)
• 6:05 p.m. EST: Heptathlon 800m, Section C, Heat 1
• 6:10 p.m. EST: M Open 800 [fast to slow] 24 runs – Waterfall (12/run)
• 7:20 p.m. EST: Heptathlon 800m, Section B, Heat 1
• 7:25 PM EST: W 800 invite [fast to slow] 16 heats – lanes (8/run)

** 5 minutes delay after Ht 1 of the women's invitation before Ht 2

• 8:20 PM EST: Invite M 800 [fast to slow] 16 heats – lanes (8/run)

** 5 minutes delay after men's invitation Ht 1 before Ht 2

• 9:15 p.m. EST: Heptathlon 800m, Section A, Heat 1
• 9:20 p.m. EST: Decathlon Section C & D 1500m2 Preliminary

Men's and Women's Open A 5 km [ Alternating Gender, SLOW to FAST ] 4 heats/gender

• 9:40pm EST: W Open A 5k Ht 1
• 9:58 p.m. EST: M Open A 5k Ht 1
• 10:14 PM EST: W Open A 5k Ht 2
• 10:32 p.m. EST: M Open A 5k Ht 2
• 10:50 p.m. EST: Decathlon 1500m, Sections A and B, 2 heats
• 11:05 p.m. EST: W Open A 5k Ht 3
• 11:23 PM EST: M Open A 5k Ht 3
• 11:38 PM EST: W Open A 5k Ht 4
• 11:56 p.m. EST: M Open A 5k Ht 4

Men's and Women's Invitation 5k [ Alternating Gender, FAST to SLOW ] 4 heats/gender

• 12:15am EST (next day): W Invite 5k Ht 1
• 12:37am EST (next day): M Invite 5k Ht 1
• 12:57 a.m. EST (next day): W Invite 5k Ht 2
• 1:15am EST (next day): M Invite 5k Ht 2
• 1:30am EST (next day): W Invite 5k Ht 3
• 1:48am EST (next day): M Invite 5k Ht 3
• 2:03am EST (next day): W Invite 5k Ht 4
• 2:20am EST (next day): M Invite 5k Ht 4

Schedule for the 2024 Bryan Clay Invitational on Saturday, April 13

Track events

• 10:30am EST: M Open C 5K [slow to fast] 4 heats
• 11:30am EST: W Open C 5K [fast to slow] 4 runs completed by 12:40 p.m
• 12:50 PM EST: Welcome Prayer and National Anthem
• 1:00 p.m. EST: M 4×100
• 1:15 p.m. EST: W 4×100
• 1:30 PM EST: M400
• 1:55 p.m. EST: W 400
• 2:30 PM EST: M100
• 3:00 PM EST: W 100
• 3:50 p.m. EST: M 110 hurdles
• 4:20 p.m. EST: W 100 Hurdles
• 5:00 p.m. EST: M 400 Hurdles
• 5:35 p.m. EST: W 400 Hurdles
• 6:05 p.m. EST: M200
• 6:35 p.m. EST: W 200
• 7:05 p.m. EST: M 4×400
• 7:30pm EST: W 4×400

1500 Runs Begin: Run in chronological order

• 8:00 PM EST: W Open C 1500 12 Heats [Slow to Fast]
• 8:50 p.m. EST: M Open C 1500 12 heats [Slow to Fast]
• 9:40 PM EST: W Invite 1500 12 Heats [Slow to Fast]
• 10:35 p.m. EST: M Invitation 1500 12 runs [Fast to Slow]
• ** 5 minutes delay after M Invite Ht 1 before Ht 2
• 11:30 p.m. EST: W Open A 12 Heats [Fast to Slow]
• 12:20 a.m. EST (next day): M Open A 12 Heats [Fast to Slow]
• 1:10 a.m. EST (next day): W Open B 12 Heats [Fast to Slow]
• 2:00 a.m. EST (next day): M Open B 12 Heats [Fast to Slow] Finish

Events field

• 1:00 p.m. EST: Women's High Jump A and D (A on the South Pit and D on the North Pit)
• 1:00 p.m. EST: Women's Long Jump (5 flights and FINAL)
• 1:00 p.m. EST: Men's Long Jump (5 flights and FINAL)
• 1:00 p.m. EST: Men's Javelin Throw (3 flights with FINALE)
• 1:00 p.m. EST: Women's Pole Vault C (Ostgrube)
• 1:00 p.m. EST: Men's Pole Vault C (West Pit)
• 1:00 p.m. EST: Women's Shot Put (4 flights and FINAL)
• 3:15 p.m. EST: Men's High Jump A (South Pit)
• 4:00 p.m. EST: Men's Pole Vault A (West Pit)
• 4:00 p.m. EST: Women's Pole Vault A (Ostgrube)
• 4:00 p.m. EST: Women's Javelin (4 flights and FINAL)
• 5:30 p.m. EST: Women's High Jump B and C (B on the South Pit and C on the North Pit)
• 6:00 p.m. EST: Men's Triple Jump (5 flights and FINAL)
• 6:00 p.m. EST: Women's Triple Jump (5 flights and FINAL)
• 6:00 p.m. EST: Men's Shot Put (4 flights and FINAL)
• 7:00 p.m. EST: Men's Pole Vault B (West Pit)
• 7:00 p.m. EST: Women's Pole Vault B (Ostgrube)
• 7:45 p.m. EST: Men's High Jump B (South Pit)

Bryan Clay Invitational results on FloTrack

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