Valby Shatters 10K Record, Gators Distance Runners Impress at Bryan Clay Invitational

Gators track and field distance runners competed against the best-of-the-best at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, California. Redshirt junior Parker Valby broke the NCAA record in the 10,000-meter run, senior Elise Thorner set a NCAA season-best mark in the 3,000 steeplechase and multiple other Gators etched their name in school records during the three day event.

Valby’s Dominance Continues

Valby put up another incredible performance in her outstanding 2024 season, eclipsing the NCAA all-time record for the women’s 10,000 run by nearly 30 seconds. Valby’s blistering time of 30:50.43 broke a 14-year-old record, held by Lisa Uhl who had a time of 31:18.17.

Valby is just the 13th women in American history to break the 31-minute mark in the event. Her time ranks No. 11 all-time in the country, and is the No. 5 mark in the world this year.

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She adds this NCAA record onto a heavily decorated 2024 campaign, in which she has already won three individual NCAA Championships, set the collegiate record in the 5,000 run and has been named the USTFCCCA Women’s Athlete of the Year in both cross country and track and field.

Thorner and Co. Enter the Record Books

Elise Thorner broke a 12-year-old University of Florida record in the 3,000m steeplechase, with a time of 9:28.49. This mark is good for No. 1 in the NCAA in 2024. Thorner also put her name on the all-time top 10 list for the 1,500 run. She ran a 4:11.35, sliding into spot No. 8 on the list.

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USTFCCCA first team All-American Parvej Khan competed in the first 1,500m run of his collegiate outdoor career. The freshman from Madhya Pradesh, India, snatched the No. 2 spot on the school’s all-time list for the event, with a time of 3:38.76.

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Junior Allison Wilson captured a spot on the school’s all-time top 10 list for the 10,000 run. Her time of 33:34.95 is good for fifth best in Gators history.

Alabama transfer Flomena Asekol earned a top five slot on the Gators 1,500m list, with a time of 4:11.35.

The Gators track and field team also hosted the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational over the weekend.

The team will be back in action on Wednesday for the Mt. Sac Relays in Walnut, California.