PROVO -- Senior jumper Rodrigo Mendes set a new Mountain West Conference record in the triple jump with the No. 2 mark in the nation this year at 54 feet 5.5 inches during the final day of competition at the Clarence Robison Invitational on Saturday.

Mendes also landed the second-best jump in school history, trailing only Pertti Pousi. Pousi posted the mark of 55 feet 9.25 inches. Pousi's mark is the oldest track record at BYU.

"He was phenomenal," BYU men's track coach Mark Robison said. "That was about as much fun as you can have."

Robison also said Mendes's jumps weren't his best, that he can still improve.

Mendes actually broke the mark on his final attempt, but the wind was blowing harder than allowed by the NCAA. Mendes wind-aided jump was 56 feet, but won't count on the records or national rankings.

If Mendes's mark had stood, he also would have earned a spot in the World Championships to compete for Brazil by surpassing the "A" standard mark of 55 feet 7.25 inches.

David Pendergrass of BYU finished third in the event.

All-American Lindsey Metcalf cleared 6 feet in the high jump, giving her the sixth best mark in school history. She also moved into second in the MWC record book, trailing only Christine Spence of UNLV by three-quarters of an inch.

"Lindsay did awesome," BYU women's track coach Craig Poole said. "Her mark is among the best in the nation. She put her best jumps of the season together today."

While both coaches were pleased with the performances of their record-setting jumpers, they were also pleased with the rest of the team.

"Everybody did a great job, especially after getting through finals this week," Poole said. "We had a great meet, even though we got a few nicks and bruises."

Robison said he likes where his team is headed heading into conference and national competition. He said the plan right now is to get everybody healthy for those meets.

In perhaps the most exciting race of the day, BYU's Jason Dorais and Weber State's Brad Osguthorpe battled to a photo finish in the 800 meters. Osguthorpe won the race by two thousandths of a second. Both crossed the line in 1:49.71, good enough to advanced to regional competition.

The men's 4x100 meter relay team won with a time of 41.19, the women's relay team consisting of Jessica Weirich, Challis Firl, Laura Hales and Taylor Law placed third in the event with a time of 47.54.

The men's 4x400 team won the event in a time of 3:11.56, while the women's 4x400 relay team crossed the line in 3:47.86.

Mandy Kelly won the women's pole vault, clearing a personal-best 12 feet 11.5 inches, improving her regional qualifying mark. Julene Kaufusi also cleared 12 feet 11.5 inches, but missed on an earlier attempt to place second.

Freshman Chandler Goodwin won the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:15.73, with teammate Derek Taylor finishing third at 9:32.37.

Ann Heiner placed second in the 1,500 meters, crossing the line in 4:33.36. She was followed by three more Cougars, Anne Marie Thomas, Laura Taylor and Allison Passey finishing fourth through sixth respectively.

Dusin Bybee was the runner-up in the mile, posting a time of 4:10.31. All-American Nathan Robison placed sixth.

Poland native Kamila Rywelska won the triple jump competition with a season-best leap of 41 feet 3.75 inches. Rywelska's mark qualifies her for regional competition and will move her up in the national rankings. Lindsey Sommer placed second, clearing 39 feet 9.25 inches.

In the 110 meter hurdles, Ben Gardner and Bryan Payne finished first and second. Gardner crossed the line at 14.67 with Gardner close behind at 14.90.

The men's 400-meter hurdles featured a top-3 swept by the Cougars. Ben Gardner won the event with a team-best 50.98. Payne finished second at 51.34 followed by Kansas Whitear in third at 52.21. All three had previously earned regional qualifying marks, but each improved on his previous best mark.

On the women's side, Taylor Law won the 400-meter hurdles in 1:01.65. She was followed by Julie Andersen in third (1:02.58). Nicole Nevitt placed sixth with Laura Hales finishing in eighth.

Following Robbie Pratt's big day yesterday in the pole vault, Trent Powell won the invitational pole vault, clearing 17 feet 6.5 inches.

Sophomore Bryce Bergen won the high jump with a season-best 7 feet 0.5 inches, tying David Pendergrass for the top mark on the team. Pendergrass finished fifth and Gabe Casdorph sixth.

David Chesser won the 400 meters in 46.64, earning a regional qualifying mark. The mark also places him 11th in school history. Kevin Biesinger placed eighth at 48.29.

Nate Soelberg placed second in the 100-meter dash, with a season-best mark of 10.77.

Full results from the Robison Invitational can be found here.

The Cougars will be action at home again for the Cougar Invitational on Thursday and Friday.

PROVO -- Hundreds of athletes will compete in the 2005 Clarence Robison Invitational this Wednesday through Saturday at BYU. The Cougars will host competitors from Idaho State, Southern Utah, Utah, Utah Valley State and Weber State.

The meet begins Wednesday at noon with the both the men's and women's multi-event competition. The multi-event athletes will also compete on Thursday.

The action will heat up Friday with the beginning of the open field events and the running trials. Field events begin at noon, while the track events get under way at 2 p.m. with the trials of the women's 100-meter hurdles.

Saturday's action will feature the elite athletes who have advanced to the finals or qualified for the invitational field events. Competition begins at 10 a.m with the women's hammer throw. An officials ceremony will be held at noon, followed by children's races. Running events will start a 1 p.m. with the finals of the 4x100 meters relays.

The invitational is set to conclude at 4:25 p.m with the men's 4x400 relay final.

BYU athletes of the week Aneta Lemeisz and Josh Rohatinsky will lead the Cougars during the competition.

Lemeisz currently hold the No. 3 mark in the nation in the 800 meters, along with fellow Cougar Heidi Magill.

Rohatinsky meanwhile has top-10 national marks in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. Rohatinksy finished the 10,000 meter race at Mt. SAC with the second fastest time in school and conference history.

The men's team enters the meet as a top-20 team, earning 28 regional qualifying marks so far this season. The women are currently ranked in the top-10 and have received 20 regional qualifying marks.

The Robison Invitational can be followed live by accessing the live stats link on the track schedule page of www.byucougars.com.

The public is invited to attend the event at Clarence F. Robison Track on BYU campus. Tickets are $3 with discounts for seniors and students. All-Sport pass holders will be admitted free.

2005 BYU CLARENCE ROBISON INVITATIONAL
April 20-23, 2005
Time Schedule
Multi-Events
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
12:15 Decathlon
12:00 Heptathlon	
Thursday, April 21, 2005
12:00 Decathlon
2:00 Heptathlon
Field Events
  	
Friday, April 22, 2005
Implement Weigh-in 12 noon - 2:30
12:00 Open Pole Vault women
12:00 Discus men
1:00 Long Jump women
2:00 Javelin men
2:30 Shot Put women
2:30 Open Pole Vault men
3:30 Open High Jump women
3:30 Javelin women
3:30 Long Jump men
      	 	
Saturday, April 23, 2005
Implement Weigh-in 8:30a - 11:30
10:00 Hammer women
10:45 Shot Put men
12:45 Inv. Pole Vault men 
12:45 Triple Jump women
1:00 Hammer men
1:00 High Jump men
2:30 Inv. Pole Vault women
2:30 Discus women
3:00 Inv. High Jump women
3:00 Triple Jump men 
Running Events
Friday (Trials) -- April 22, 2005
2:10 100mH women trials
2:25 110mH men trials
2:40 1 Mile men B Race final
2:50 1500m women B Race final
3:00 400m women trials
3:10 400m men trials
3:20 100m women trials
3:30 100m men trials
3:40 800m women B Race final
3:50 800m men B Race final
4:00 400mH women trials
4:10 400mH men trials
4:20 200m women trials
4:30 200m men trials
4:40 5000m women final
5:00 5000m men final
    
Saturday (Finals) -- April 23, 2005
12:00 Officials Ceremony
12:45 Kids races
1:00 4x100m women final
1:10 4x100m men final
1:20 3000m Steeplechase men final
1:35 1500m women (seeded 18)
1:45 1 Mile men (seeded 18)
2:00 110mH men final
2:10 100mH women final
2:20 400m women final
2:30 400m men final
2:40 100m women final
2:50 100m men final
3:00 Inv. 800m women final (seeded 10)
3:10 Inv. 800m men final (seeded 10)
3:20 400mH women final
3:30 400mH men final
3:40 200m women final
3:50 200m men final
4:00 3000m Steeplechase women final
4:15 4x400m women final
4:25 4x400m men final