We're about halfway through the 2022 outdoor track and field season and a few meets remain before conference championships and NCAA prelims. It's a good time to look at the top 10 performances from the first half.
Here they are, listed alphabetically by last name:
Mykolas Alekna | California
Although Mykolas Alekna is the son of two-time Olympic discus gold medalist Virgilijus Alekna, he has still built a name for himself in track and field. Only a freshman at Cal, Mykolas leads the nation in the discus after hitting 66.70 meters at the Aztec Invitational. That distance is the furthest since 2016, and Mykolas sits third in NCAA history in the discus.
GOODNESS. 😱
— Cal XC/Track & Field (@CalTFXC) March 27, 2022
Mykolas Alekna has broken the NCAA Freshman Record AND Cal’s all-time school record with his performance today at the Aztec Invitational!! 🐻
He currently ranks No. 3️⃣ all-time in collegiate history, as per @USTFCCCA .#GoBears pic.twitter.com/TI4EvjaP4g
Trey Cunningham | Florida State
In Trey Cunningham's first outdoor hurdles race of the year, he ran a nation-leading 13.22 in the 110-meter hurdles. That time is more than .2 seconds faster than the next fastest wind-legal time.
There goes that man Trey🔥
— Florida State T&F/XC (@FSU_Track) April 16, 2022
He breaks the school record and has the 🌎lead at 13.22 in the 110m hurdles.
He’ll run in the finals at 2:30🍢#OneTribe pic.twitter.com/NLJYC0rXZj
Eliud Kipsang | Alabama
Alabama's Eliud Kipsang broke the 1500 meters record at the Bryan Clay Invitational, finishing in 3:33.74. Kipsang beat the previous record — which was set last year — by almost a second. His splits for full laps around the track were 56.7, 58.5 and 56.4, respectively. Kipsang finished the final 200 meters in 27.9 seconds.
𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 ‼️
— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) April 16, 2022
Alabama's Eliud Kipsang set a new NCAA record for the 1500m with his time of 3:33.74!#NCAATF x 📸@AlabamaTrack pic.twitter.com/8LjsSn8MDv
Jenoah Mckiver | Iowa
The nation's 400-meter leader hails from Iowa after Jenoah Mckiver ran a personal-best 44.74 at the Jim Click Shootout. At the time of the finish, Mckiver's time was the second-fastest in the world this season.
🔥 44.74 🔥
— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) April 12, 2022
At the Jim Click Shootout, @JenoahMckiver set a program record in the men's 400m with his time of 44.74 and is currently No. 1 in the NCAA and No. 2 in the world for this event! #NCAATF x 🎥 @IowaXC_TF pic.twitter.com/9fcxNI7auo
Ayden Owens | Decathlon
Ayden Owens now owns the best wind-legal decathlon in NCAA history after scoring 8528 points at the Mt. SAC relays. It was an impressive all-around performance. Here are his times and marks.
- 100 meters - 10.27 seconds (fastest-ever in NCAA decathlon history)
- Long jump - 7.51 meters
- Shot put - 14.89 meters (PR)
- High jump - 1.92 meters
- 400 meters - 46.12 seconds (fastest-ever in NCAA decathlon history)
- 110 meter hurdles - 13.80 seconds
- Discus - 43.00 meters
- Javelin - 53.50 meters
- 1500 meters - 4:13.17 (PR)
Comments from Razorback Ayden Owens on his collegiate record of 8,528 points in the decathlon
— Arkansas Track & Field (@RazorbackTF) April 15, 2022
Chasing the collegiate all-conditions best score by Lindon Victor
Achieving the records he set with teammates Daniel Spejcher and Noah Swaby in the competition with him#WPS pic.twitter.com/7cEI7t1YXw
Devon Achane | Texas A&M & Jacory Patterson | Florida
In the 200 meters, two athletes sit tied for the fastest time run all season — Texas A&M's Devon Achane and Florida's Jacory Patterson. Both Achane and Patterson ran 20.20 in the 200. Achane ran his blazing time at the Texas A&M v Texas dual meet with a +1.3 wind. Patterson ran his time at the Florida Relays with no wind at all.
Achane is a bad dude 🤫
— Texas A&M Track & Field/Cross Country (@aggietfxc) April 3, 2022
🥇 20.20 (w/1.3)
➡️ =NCAA-Leader
➡️ =No. 4 Aggie All-Time
➡️ Fastest RB in NCAA@ffvmousvon_ | #GigEm pic.twitter.com/W8Oucg7Ahr
Adrian "Tripp" Piperi | Texas
Tripp Piperi has been dominant all season long. His performance at Texas Relays backs that up. In the shot put, Piperi launched his way to a distance of 21.54 meters, breaking a Longhorn record. With the toss, he moved to 13th all-time in NCAA history.
TRIPP PIPERI!! @Tripp_Piperi TAKES DOWN THE TEXAS & TEXAS RELAYS SHOT PUT RECORD AT 21.54m (70-8)! 🤘 pic.twitter.com/AN9tFOOWjP
— Texas T&F/XC (@TexasTFXC) March 26, 2022
Micah Williams | Oregon
Oregon's Micah Williams is the nation's fastest all-conditions 100-meter man. His 9.83-second finish (+2.5) at the Mt. SAC Relays is the only sub-9.9 second time this season in the world. The performance came after running a 9.96 (+3.1) in the qualifiers. Fast wind or not, Williams' performance was elite.
When you're the new 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑 in the 100 meters.
— oregontf (@OregonTF) April 16, 2022
👀 https://t.co/iA7rubzM7Q#GoDucks pic.twitter.com/XFOLEJ4QiY
Moad Zahafi | Texas Tech
At the Tom Jones Memorial, Texas Tech's Moad Zahafi ran a 1:43.69 in the 800 meters, winning by more than two seconds. Zahafi blazed around the track, finishing the first lap in 50.94 seconds. In the 800 meters, Zahafi now has the third-fastest time in NCAA history, a Texas Tech record, and the world lead.
Two words: MOAD ZAHAFI
— Texas Tech Track & Field (@TexasTechTF) April 16, 2022
1:43.69 in the 800m
World lead ✅
School record ✅
No. 3 ALL-TIME NCAA mark ✅
First sub 1:45 time in 2022 ✅#WreckEm | @NCAATrackField pic.twitter.com/5eDbYOB58p
Florida's 4x400 meter relay
Florida's men's 4x400 meter relay became the first team in collegiate history to run sub-2:59, setting a new collegiate record. The Gators relay team of Jacory Patterson, Ryan Willie, Jacob Miley and Champion Allison ran a 2:58.53.
No 4x400 team in collegiate history has ever run under 2:59.00.
— Gators Track and Field & Cross Country (@GatorsTF) April 16, 2022
Florida just ran 2:58.53 in April!
The Gators now have the men's collegiate records in the 4x1 and 4x4!
- @jacoryp77
- @RyanWilliee
- @Jdmileyy
- @IamChampallison pic.twitter.com/ZBRz1eALYD