SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah track & field team had a soft kick-off to the 2024-25 indoor season on Tuesday with Rachel Bair placing second in the pentathlon with 3282 points at the BYU December Invite inside Smith Fieldhouse.
Bair’s runner-up finish was fueled by a trio of second-place finishes in the pentathlon – including a pair of PRs and a fourth-place. The Colorado native opened things up taking fourth in the 60m hurdles (9.55 aa) for 802 points. After adding 491 points in the high jump, Bair tossed a personal best mark of 11.71m (38-5) in the shot put for 642 more points before leaping a PR mark of 5.42m (17-9.5) in the long jump for another 677 points.
She then secured her second-place finish in the pentathlon with an 800m run of 2:31.06 (aa) for second and added 670 points to her total. Freshman Matejah Mangum finished with 2792 points in her collegiate debut that included an event win in the high jump with a leap of 1.65m (5-5).
The sprints crew rounded things out for Utah in the season-opener with a pair of podium finishes from Bailey Kealamakia and Annie Ivins in the 600m dash. Ivins took runner-up honors with a run of 1:35.37, which was just barely off of her personal best, while Kealamakia finished third-overall with a new PR mark of 1:35.78. Chloe Shewell was just a tad behind with a time of 1:35.9 for fourth to out-lean teammate Millie Wilcox – who finished fifth with a run of 1:35.97.
Shana Van Elderen will be the lone Ute competing on Wednesday, Dec. 11, at the meet in the long jump event before the whole crew heads back south on Thursday, Dec. 12, to wrap up the opening week for Utah.
For the latest news and information on the Utah cross country and track & field programs, fans can stay connected online at www.UtahUtes.com, on social media by following on Facebook, X and Instagram or stay connected with Utah360, the official mobile app of Utah Athletics through the App Store or Google Play.
###
CLICK HERE to Read the Full Original Article at University of Utah Athletics…