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PROVO — In the storied annals of BYU track and field and cross country history, it's hard to find any first-time accomplishments.
Courtney Wayment did just that Friday night at the NCAA indoor track and field meet.
The star runner became the first track and field athlete in BYU history to win an indoor national title in two different events when she smashed her personal-best time of 15:30.17 en route to the 5,000-meter title at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama.
"This is my last first indoor race of my collegiate career," Wayment told ESPN after finding her coach Diljeet Taylor on the sidelines of her race. "I wanted it to be the last one, best one."
The former Davis High star adds to her incredible career that also includes the 3,000-meter title at last year's NCAA indoor track and field championships, as well as a team title in the women's distance medley relay in 2021. In all, Wayment is the 10th indoor individual champion in BYU women's track and field history, per a university release, and headlined a strong first day of the championship meet in Birmingham.
The 5-foot-7 senior overcame sensational North Carolina State sophomore Katelyn Tuohy and Alabama's Mercy Chelangat in the final 200 meters to clinch the win. Tuohy finished in 15:30.63, followed by Chelangat in 15:31.63.
🏆 YOUR NEW WOMEN'S INDOOR 5K CHAMPION 🏆
— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) March 12, 2022
Congratulations Courtney Wayment of @BYUTFXC on winning the women's 5,000m race!
💻 ESPN3 #NCAATFpic.twitter.com/f4TZF0aEcK
But that final 200 meters didn't start exactly like Taylor thought it might.
"She just went a little early, I thought," Taylor told ESPN, but adding with a smile and a low laugh, "but it worked out."
Wayment overtook lead-runner Tuohy for good midway through the final lap, and didn't let up — why look back, when the finish line is in front of you, she chided — en route to the victory. All she needed was the signal for a final kick from her coach — or at least, what she thought was the final kick — and Wayment was off.
"When she says to go, I've got to go," said Wayment, who finished one spot short of a U.S. team bid at the Olympic trials for Tokyo. "If she tells me I can go, I've got to do it. It's as simple as that."
Wayment will race in the 3,000-meter race Saturday around 7 p.m. MST on ESPN3.
Paced by Wayment's title, BYU finished fifth overall with 14 team points after the first day. The Cougars also got a fifth-place finish in the pentathlon from Halley Folsom Walker, who moved from 14th to fifth with a personal-best time of 2:08.77 in the 800-meter portion fo the event for first-team All-America honors.
Courtney Wayment's family watching her kick to a national title in the NCAA 5K! pic.twitter.com/Zh1bI9urQI
— FloTrack (@FloTrack) March 12, 2022
Claire Seymount blazed to first in her 800-meter semifinal heat with a time of 2:03.48. She'll race in the final Saturday at 6:30 p.m. MST.
The distance medley relay team of Carmen Alder, Meghan Hunter, Lauren Ellsworth-Barnes and Kate Hunter placed ninth in 11:06.64 for second-team All-America honors.
In the mens' competition, Zach McWhorter placed second in the pole vault with a clearance of 18 feet, 8.25 inches, good enough for first-team All-America honors for the sophomore and his second-straight national runner-up finish. Princeton's Sondre Guttormsen won the individual title.
McWhorter was joined by Caleb Witsken, who placed 10th in the pole vault by clearing 17-10.5 for second-team All-America honors.
