On a night when the track and field world was abuzz at Parker Valby’s NCAA record in the Bryan Clay Invitational 10,000 meters, becoming the first woman to break 31 minutes, the men’s 10,000 almost took on the role of opening act.
But NAU’s Aaron Las Heras placed sixth in a highly-competitive men’s race, feturing pros and top collegians. Las Heras ran 28:19.43, the eighth fastest time in the event in the NAU record books, coming in less than two seconds behind Oklahoma State’s Alex Maier. The surprise winner was North Carolina’s Alex Phillip at 27:51.26, beating Texas Tech’s Ernest Cheruiyot and Charles Philbert-Thiboutot, a Canadian pro running for New Balance.
Las Heras’ time was a huge personal best on the track. Before this, his best was 29:31.91 in 2022, when he ran for Wake Forest University. Las Heras is scheduled to run the Bryan Clay 1,500 meters on Saturday.
In the women’s 3,000 Steeplechase, Under Armour Dark Sky Distance’s Angelina Ellis (pictured above) placed fourth in 9:30.71, four seconds behind BYU’s Lexy Halladay-Lowry (running unattached). Both were easily under the Olympic standard of 9:41.
NAU freshman Karrie Baloga, a transfer this spring from the University of Colorado, palced 18th in 10:02.53. Baloga’s time is second on NAU’s all-time steeple list.
Dark Sky’s Ellis, a former standout at Butler University, ran 14 seconds faster than her Bryan Clay time from last year in her debut steeple as a pro.
The Bryan Clay Invite continues today with many of the distance crew of both NAU’s men’s and women’s teams competing in various heats of the 5,000 meters.
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