Ben Barton Clinches Decathlon Title at NCAA Championships, Jane Hedengren Finishes Third in 10,000 Meters

In a thrilling conclusion at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships held in Eugene, Oregon, BYU's Ben Barton emerged victorious in the decathlon on Thursday night. The senior, standing tall at 6-foot-5 and hailing from Michigan, secured his championship in a nail-biting finish that unfolded during the 10th and final event of the two-day competition.

Shortly after Barton's triumph, Jane Hedengren, a promising freshman from Provo, took to the track as a strong contender in the 10,000-meter run. Despite leading for much of the race, Hedengren ultimately finished in third place after being overtaken by two competitors in the final moments.

Entering the final event of the decathlon, Barton trailed Louisville’s Kenneth Byrd by 50 points, with Luuke Pelkmans close behind. The decisive 1,500-meter run was crucial; Barton needed to outpace Byrd by over seven seconds while staying within 13 seconds of Pelkmans. Though visibly exerted, Barton managed to finish about nine seconds ahead of Byrd and just behind Pelkmans, clinching the title with a total score of 8,169 points—just nine points ahead of Byrd and the second-highest score ever recorded by a BYU athlete.

On the first day of competition, Barton set the pace by winning the 100-meter dash, high jump, and 400-meter dash, while also performing well in the long jump and shot put. The second day saw him face challenges, particularly in the pole vault, but he rebounded impressively in the javelin, setting up his dramatic final event.

Hedengren’s race was anticipated as a rematch against New Mexico’s Pamela Kosgei, the defending champion. Although she led for a significant portion of the race, Kosgei surged ahead late, only to be followed by Iowa State's Mercyline Kirwa, who ultimately secured the victory. Kirwa finished with a time of 31:54.88, while Kosgei and Hedengren crossed the line shortly after, clocking 31:56.49 and 31:57.94 respectively.

Several other BYU athletes participated in Thursday's semifinals, with notable performances from Carlee Hansen and Taylor Lovell, who both qualified for their respective finals. The competition continues, with the men's finals set for Friday and the women’s finals on Saturday, as BYU aims to build on its strong showing.