Clayton Young

Last updated

Clayton Young
Clayton Young 2023 Chicago Marathon cropped.jpg
Young at the 2023 Chicago Marathon
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1993-09-14) September 14, 1993 (age 31)
Clovis, California
Home town American Fork, Utah
Education Brigham Young University '19
MS in Engineering
EmployerEngineer at Stryker Corporation
Height183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
SpouseAshley Young [1]
Residence Springville, Utah
Sport
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
SportTrack and Field,
Road running
Cross country running
Event(s) 1500m, 5000m, 10,000m, Half marathon, Marathon
University team BYU Cougars
ClubAsics
Turned proJune 2019
Coached by Ed Eyestone
Achievements and titles
Personal bests

Clayton Young (born September 14, 1993) is an American long-distance runner, who competes for Asics. He ran collegiately for Brigham Young University, and won the 10,000 metres at the 2019 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He set a personal best of 2:08:00 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, finishing seventh. Young finished second at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, qualifying him for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Contents

Running career

High school and college

Young attended American Fork High School in American Fork, Utah. He is a 2011 All-American at the Nike Cross Nationals. [3] He won the 2010 Utah High School Activities Association 5A Cross Country Championship individual title. [4]

While competing for Brigham Young University, he set personal bests of 13:31 for 5000m and 28:18 for 10000m. In 2019, he secured a national title in the 10000m, finishing with a time of 29:16.60. [5]

Professional

After completing his collegiate eligibility at BYU in June 2019, Young turned professional, signing with Asics.

He debuted in the marathon at the 2020 U.S. Olympic marathon trials in Atlanta in a time of 2:29:46. [6]

In his second marathon at the 2021 Chicago Marathon, he set out at 2:12 pace, splitting a time of 1:06:11 through halfway. [7] However over the final few kilometers he faded slightly, still managing a 13 minute personal best finishing in a time of 2:16:07.

Returning Young finished 18th at the 2022 Chicago Marathon in 2:11:51 as the fifth American finisher. [8]

In 2023, he secured national titles in both the 8 km and 20 km US Road Running Championships. [9] [10] At the 2023 Chicago Marathon, Young earned seventh place overall and second American with a time of 2:08:00, a time that met the Olympic qualifying standard of 2:08:10. [11] [12]

Young entered the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials with the second fasted seed time with his 2:08 mark from the 2023 Chicago Marathon. Young was able to stay with the lead pack as several pre-race favourites fell off the pace and by mile 19, the lead pack consisted of just three men: Zach Panning, Young, and his training partner Conner Mantz. Around mile 22, Panning fell off the pace leaving Young and Mantz as the two leaders. The two celebrated their all but certain qualification for the Olympics through the last few miles. At the finish line, Young allowed Mantz to take the win as both men earned a spot to represent the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics with Young finishing in his second best marathon time ever of 2:09:06 to Mantz's 2:09:05. [13]

Personal life

Young took a two-year hiatus from competitive running after high school to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Raleigh, North Carolina. Upon returning in 2015, Young redshirted his first year at Brigham Young University (BYU). [3] He and his wife, Ashley Young, have two daughters: Lucy (b. 2019) and Jenna (b. 2021). [14]

Social Media

Ahead of the 2024 Olympic and New York City marathons, Young created a YouTube page documenting his marathon training for Paris. The video series documents his day to day life as a pro athlete training for an international event. He has amassed over 25,000 followers since he started posting. [15] [16]

Achievements

Information from athlete's profile on World Athletics, unless otherwise noted. [2]

Marathons

YearCompetitionPerformancePositionPlaceDate
2020 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials 2:29:46136th Atlanta, Georgia February 29, 2020
2021 2021 Chicago Marathon 2:16:0713th Chicago, Illinois October 10, 2021
2022 2022 Chicago Marathon 2:11:5118th Chicago, Illinois October 9, 2022
2023 2023 Chicago Marathon 2:08:007th Chicago, Illinois October 8, 2023
2024 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials 2:09:062nd Orlando, Florida February 3, 2024
2024 2024 Olympic Marathon 2:08:449th Paris, France August 10, 2024
2024 2024 New York City Marathon 2:09:217th New York City, New York November 3, 2024

BYU

Results sourced from athlete's profile on the Track & Field Results Reporting Service (TFRRS). [17]

Representing BYU Cougars
School Year West Coast Conference
Cross Country
Championships
NCAA
Cross Country
Championships
MPSF
Indoor Track
Championships
NCAA
Indoor Track
Championship
NCAA Division 1
Outdoor Track
Championships
2018–19 Senior11th
24:05.9
72nd
30:25.2
4th
4:00.77
Mile
3rd
7:55.86
3000 m
1st
29:16.60
10,000m
6th
13:45.35
5000 m
6th
14:09.00
5000m
2017–18 Junior5th
23:29.1
105th
30:47.4
20th
8:09.24
3000 m
23rd
31:37.54
10,000m
12th
14:02.17
5000m
2016–17 Sophomore7th
24:42.2
23rd
30:43.9
4th
9:50.53
DMR
9th
8:02.11
3000 m
17th
29:39.80
10,000m
10th
14:38.45
5000m

American Fork High School

Results sourced from athlete's profile on Athletic.net. [18]

Year Nike Cross Nationals Great Southwest T&F Classic
201124th
15:50.0
201096th
17:44.7
3200 m
9:22.92
1st
200961st
16:00.1
Representing American Fork High School at
Utah High School Activities Association
YearCross Country
class 5A state championship
UHSTCA Indoor ChampionshipsOutdoor Track and Field
class 5A state championship
2011–1215:31.2
3rd place
3200 m
9:40.47
13th
1600 m
4:26.3
8th
2010–1115:23.9
1st place
3200 m
9:22.92
2nd
3200 m
9:19.09
3rd
1600 m
4:16.21
3rd
800 m
1:56.30
5th
2009–1015:43.6
4th place
3200 m
9:13.02
2nd
1600 m
4:22.43
3rd
800 m
1:55.87
5th
2008–0916:56.4
45th place
3200 m
10:03.44
12th

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References

  1. Love, marriage and running: How these Olympic athletes’ families juggle demands of being elite
  2. 1 2 Clayton Young at World Athletics OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  3. 1 2 "Clayton Young – Men's Cross Country 2017". BYU Athletics – Official Athletics Website – BYU Cougars. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  4. Oct 20 Utah 5A State Cross Country Championships Athletic.net
  5. LetsRun.com (June 5, 2019). "Clayton Young and BYU Earn Redemption, Young Sprints to 2019 NCAA 10K Title". LetsRun.com. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  6. "Clayton Young - U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon". www.atlanta2020trials.com. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  7. "Bank of America Chicago Marathon". chicago-history.r.mikatiming.com. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  8. Knapp, Mike. "Conner Mantz Runs 2nd Fastest American Debut Marathon- 2:08:16". LetsRun.com. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  9. Bush, Scott (July 23, 2023). "USA Track & Field | Young Outduels Tough Competition at the USATF Men's 8 km Championship". usatf.org. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  10. Shaw, Clay (September 5, 2023). "Sisson and Young Win USATF 20k Championships in New Haven". Runner's Gazette. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  11. "Conner Mantz And Clayton Young Become First Americans To Run Olympic Qualifying Times At Chicago Marathon". October 9, 2023. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  12. "American Men Have the Day They Needed at the 2023 Chicago Marathon". Runnersworld.com. October 8, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  13. Battaglia, Joe (February 3, 2024). "Conner Mantz, Clayton Young Finish 1-2 At U.S. Olympic Trials Mens Marathon". FloTrack. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
  14. Clayton Young Interview running state of the sport
  15. "Clayton Young". YouTube. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  16. Rennier, Michael (August 8, 2024). "Meditations on life from Olympic Marathoners". Aleteia. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  17. Clayton Young Brigham Young University results TFRRS
  18. Clayton Young prep bio American Fork High School Athletic.net