Meet Record Breakers Are Back For More At 42nd Simplot Games

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Trey Knight and Sydney Thorvaldson are coming back to the Simplot Games this weekend in Pocatello, Idaho, where they can take aim at their own meet records.

Knight, of Ridgefield WA, moved to No. 2 on the all-time list with a big mark of 86 feet, 7.50 inches in the weight throw last year at Holt Arena. 

The USC-bound senior has only a few opportunities left to go after Conor McCullough's national high school record of 93-3.25 set in 2009. McCullough owns the seven farthest throws in prep history, with Knight's Simplot Games record the eighth best. 

Knight, who ranks No. 3 all-time in the hammer, will be making his season debut Thursday night on the infield. The boys competition begins at 7 p.m. Mountain time.

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Thorvaldson, about two months since trying to reel in Katelyn Tuohy in a mad dash to the finish at Nike Cross Nationals, is returning to wooden track where she ran 10:19.05 for 3,200 meters (at 4,462 feet elevation). 

Over the past several weeks, Thorvaldson has run personal bests in the mile (4:53.12) and 1,600 meters (4:52.53). The mile was run at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. (7,258 feet elevation) and the 1,600 was in Natrona, Wyo. (5,604 feet elevation). 

She also ran 10:20.18 for 3,200 meters in Natrona and won the event by 97 seconds. 

The challenge at Simplot is two run 16-lapper twice. The prelims are Thursday and the final is Saturday. 

In addition to Thorvaldson, Nike Elite campers Nathan Green and Taylor James are both on the entry list. 

Green, a junior from Borah ID (YMCA Team Idaho), ran 4:09.45 for the full mile at the Boise Indoor last weekend, good for US#2. 

A similar effort in Saturday's 1,600-meter final should put the meet record of 4:08.78 by Talon Hull of Pleasant View, Utah (2017) into play. 

James, of Niwot CO, is entered in the 800 meters and will also run with her teammates (REAL Training Club) in the 4x800. James recently traveled to Iceland with a NSAF-led group and ran 2:11.59 in the Reykjavik International Games.

The boys pole vault could be one of the highlights of meet as well. Sophomore Landon Helms of Emmett ID (Dragila Vault Co) jumped 16-10 at the National Pole Vault Summit in Reno last month. 

Garrett Brown of La Costa Canyon CA cleared 16-2 at the Summit. 

The girls pole vault lineup is led by Mia Manson of Monarch CO, who is No. 2 in the U.S. this winter at 13-7. The Simplot Games record is 13-5 by Makayla Linebager in 2017.

Trey Tintinger of Helena MT is the top entrant in the boys high jump. He traveled to Ohio for the SPIRE Scholastic Showcase last weekend and won the event with a clearance at 6-8. 

Namir Hemphill of Upland CA is looking to build off of last week's momentum with a big mark in the triple jump. He won the California Winter State Meet triple jump outdoors last weekend with a mark of 48-9.

Kurtis Lee from Evergreen Valley CA is entered in the 60 meters and 200 meters and could win both events. He ran 6.84 seconds last year when he finished behind meet-record breaker Micah Williams. He was fifth in last year's 200 final.

Braiden Ivie, the Utah state champion in the 100 and 200 (Class 3A), has run 21.90 this winter in the 200. The Emery UT (Gold Medal Athletics) senior should be in contention against Lee.

Omo Oboh from Santa Teresa CA is the top entry in the 400 meters. He was a California state meet qualifier last year and posted an outdoor best of 47.60. 

Peter Visser of Star Valley WY placed third in the 1,600 last year at Simplot and is turning his attention to the 3,200 meters. He has already run 9:25.13 to win the UHSTCA Indoor Invitational. 

Cheyenne Figueroa is making a long trip from Rhode Island (Moses Brown) to compete in Thursday's girls weight throw. She is US#2 in that event and last weekend she won the Rhode Island state indoor title with a mark of 61-10.50. 

Carlee Hansen from Woods Cross UT is the top entrant in the 1,600 meters and owns an outdoor personal best of 4:46.65.

Trinity Price from Buford GA in an elite talent coming in to contend for the 200-and 400-meter titles. Price ran 54.34 to win the 400 at the Music City High School Indoor Invitational and she also ran 24.44 for 200 on Dec. 21 at the Galleria Games. 

Sydney Holiday, a Nike Elite sprint camper from Broomfield CO, is entered in the 60 and 200. 

Caelyn Harris of Upland CA jumped 20-4.50 last weekend to win the long jump at the California Winter State Championships. She is the California state champion from 2019, when she flew 20-8.50. (Tara Davis of Agoura Hills CA owns the Simplot Games record at 21-2.75). 

A pair of top Californians, Asjah Atkinson (St. Anthony) and Taylor Shorter (Norco) are entered in Saturday's 60-meter hurdles. Atkinson ran 8.83 seconds to win the event at the California Winter state meet last weekend. Shorter placed fifth in the flat 60 but owns an outdoor personal best of 13.92 in the 100-meter hurdles.