Rodrick Pleasant, Daniel Simmons, Sophia Beckmon Among Standouts Headed To Pocatello 

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

The memories of the last Simplot Games before COVID-19 remain somewhat fresh three years later. 

Sydney Thorvaldson from Wyoming, now competing for Arkansas, made a gallant effort to break 10 minutes in the 3,200 meters on the orange-and-black boards at Idaho State, coming up a bit short, but breaking the meet record twice in three days. 

Idaho's own Nathan Green, now a standout at Washington, won the boys 1,600. 

Within a month of the meet, much of the world was shutdown by the onset of the pandemic. And while most track events were able to come back in 2021, or certainly 2022, the Simplot Games remained shuttered over concerns related to the virus. 

This week, the 43rd Simplot Games is back on in Pocatello. The meet serves a wide swath of athletes from across the Rocky Mountain states of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah. 

Some top talent from California, British Columbia and elsewhere is also entered. 

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Rodrick Pleasant, competing for SC Elite of Los Angeles, is entered in both the 60 meters and 200. He will make his return to an indoor track venue for the first time since the 2020 Simplot Games his freshman year. 

The Serra CA standout, who announced his college commitment to play football and run track at the University of Oregon, is the California all-time record holder in the 100 meters at 10.14 seconds. 

Daniel Simmons of American Fork UT, the recipient of the Gatorade Boys Cross Country Player of the Year Award, is entered in the 3,200 meters. The Nike Cross Nationals runner-up will face some familiar competitors with Tayson Echohawk and Noah Jenkins from Utah also in the event. 

The 3,200 has always been a different animal at Simplot, where there is a prelim Thursday and a final Saturday. 

On the girls side, Nelah Roberts of Skyline ID, who was 24th at NXN, is the top entrant in the 3,200. 

Sophia Beckmon, a two-time winner of Nike Outdoor Nationals in the long jump and one of the top athletes in Oregon, is entered in the 60, 200 and long jump, competing for The Inner Circle Track Club. 

Among the athletes coming in from California, in addition to Pleasant, is highly touted sophomore sprinter Devin Bragg, who is entered in the 60. Bragg, who attends Los Alamitos, ran 10.45 seconds in the 100 as a freshman last spring. 

Gatlin Bair of Kimberly ID, a junior, won the BYU Invitational 60 meters last month and is a state champion in both the 100 and 200 meters. 

In the boys 400 meters, Tate Kjar from Corner Canyon UT, who won the UHSTCA Invitational in 48.79, will take on a field that includes Fuad Omer of Westview OR (Inner Circle), who ran 48.74 for second place at the Spokane High School Invitational. 

Yvette Harris of Lincoln (Stockton) CA, the California state runner-up in the 100-meter hurdles, is entered in the 60 hurdles and is coming off a victory at the California Winter Championships. 

Amare Harlan from Fremont UT will be matched up with Beckmon, and others, in the 60-200-long jump. Harlan has run 7.50 in the 60 meters, 24.05 in the 200 and jumped 19-4.75. 

Anika Sukamar (West Linn OR), the Oregon state champion in the triple jump, is also entered.

Sarah Ballard (Lehi UT), the reigning Class 5A state champion in the 100 and 200, comes into the sprint events with bests of 7.51 seconds (60) and 24.20 (200). 

Nora Butler of Sheridan WY is the top entrant in the girls shot put.