Sophomore endures inclement weather, long trip from Wyoming in order to reach event, before delivering dynamic effort in solo time trial to approach meet record; Preigh in position to repeat in 800 

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

On a day dominated by relays and large groups of athletes qualifying for field event finals, one individual provided the biggest highlight with a significant solo effort on the track Friday at the 41st Simplot Games.

Rawlins High sophomore Sydney Thorvaldson, who competes for Laramie High, wasn’t able to race in the 3,200-meter prelims Thursday at Idaho State’s Holt Arena because of road closures due to inclement weather in Wyoming.

Thorvaldson and her family were finally able to make the seven-hour trip Friday to Pocatello, with meet officials granting the Laramie TRACC Club standout the opportunity to race a 3,200 time trial at the end of the schedule in order to qualify for the final.

With at least 50 athletes surrounding the track and cheering her on every step of the way, Thorvaldson not only secured the top overall seed by clocking 10 minutes, 37.90 seconds, but gave an indication that the meet record could be in jeopardy Saturday.

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“It’s crazy. I love the support I got out there today,” Thorvaldson said. “I wasn’t thinking that I would get that much because everybody would be going home and going to the activities, but it was great. I probably wouldn’t have gone that fast without them there. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but that was great. I loved that.”

Emily Broshus of Calgary, Alberta, Canada ran 10:32.41 in 2000, which remains the oldest individual girls track record on the schedule.

“That (prelim) time was actually pretty fast, faster than I think I should have wanted it to be. I think I wanted to go a little bit slower,” Thorvaldson said. “I think it was just all the people cheering me on and I was definitely pushed a little bit. I just hope that can carry on to (Saturday).”

Thorvaldson has already run 10:31.98 on Jan. 19 at the Gillette Invitational and then lowered her personal best Feb. 2 to 10:30.95 at the Basin Nation Invitational, which ranks No. 2 in the country this season.

“I feel like I recover pretty fast from some of these things, which is really great,” Thorvaldson said. “I run the mile and then come back and run the 2-mile at most of my meets, so I think that has definitely helped get me in this kind of shape. I definitely hope I’ll be ready to race (Saturday). I’m super excited because some of the names in this race are pretty big, so I think that will really help get me more motivated.”

Fairview CO senior Marlena Preigh, representing RISE Athletics, put herself in position to repeat as girls 800-meter champion by winning her prelim heat in 2:21.19. The last back-to-back winner in the girls 800 was Canadian talent Jenna Westaway in 2011-12.

Junior Emma Langstrom of Harry Ainlay School in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, representing MAC Track, produced the fastest qualifying time of 2:17.72.

McLurg High senior Treyton Pernitsky, competing for Riversdale Athletics Club in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, led all qualifiers in the boys 800 in 1:59.35. Defending champion Joe Corbridge of American Fork UT qualified 14th in 2:02.08.

Emery UT junior Braiden Ivie, who already posted the top qualifying time in the boys 60-meter dash Thursday, also led all qualifiers Friday in the 200 in 22.36.

Bountiful UT senior Jace Jensen led all qualifiers in the boys 400, clocking 49.59.

Delta UT sophomore Adi Nielson posted the fastest qualifying time in the girls 400 in 59.10, in addition to contributing to the top prelim mark of 4:17.88 in the 1,600 sprint medley relay with Gold Medal Athletics teammates Jasie York, Amy Ballard and Emma Reeves.

Bishop Loughlin Memorial NY junior Brianna White had the fastest qualifying performance in the girls 200 by running 25.26. She also teamed with Janee’ Patterson, Brinesha Derrick-Bain and Adia Palmer to help Bishop Loughlin win its qualifying heats in the 4x400 relay in 4:02.34 and the 1,600 sprint medley relay in 4:25.62.

Blazin Bruin, representing Long Beach Wilson CA, had Armando Bryson, Seaver Cardoza, Andrew Richards and Jordan Weimer produce the fastest qualifying times in the 4x400 (3:24.83) and 1,600 sprint medley relay (3:36.38).

Rachel Glenn, Dionna Griffith, Maya Bryson and Tyler Nettles also helped Blazin Bruin post the top prelim performance of 3:58.99 in the girls 4x400.

Cody Milmine, Alec Riegert, Matt Roma and Marc Wodahl of the Wyoming-based Broncs Track Club led all qualifiers in the boys 4x200 relay by clocking 1:33.19.

Kirstin Light, Taylor Shorter, Arissa Hatcher and Felicia Banahene of the Southern California-based Academy of Speed ran 1:44.79 to establish the top qualifying time in the girls 4x200 relay.

In the boys pole vault, 15 athletes cleared 13-3 to advance to the final. The cutoff for 18 athletes to move on to the girls pole vault final was 10 feet.

In the boys high jump, 21 individuals cleared 5-11 to reach the final. Only eight athletes cleared 5-1 to make the girls high jump final.

The boys long jump had nine athletes qualify for the final, with the cutoff at 20-9. There were 22 finalists to advance in the girls long jump, with the minimum performance at 16-9.

In the boys triple jump, there were 13 finalists, all producing efforts of at least 41-9. The girls triple jump had 22 athletes move on, with the cutoff at 34-6.

The boys shot put had 14 individuals reach the final, with the cutoff at 46 feet. Only 36 feet was needed to advance to the girls shot put final, with 13 athletes qualifying.