EUGENE, Ore. – Three Indiana State track and field athletes combined to earn four top-10 finishes Thursday on the opening day of the 2025 USATF U20 Championships at Hayward Field
 
The Sycamores' distance duo of Gnister Grant and Peyton Smith both carded top-10 finishes in their respective events, while Emma Yoder earned top-10 marks in both of the throws events she competed in.
 
Smith opened the day for the Blue and White with a career-best performance in the 5000m, running a time of 16:52.17 to finish ninth in the event. Thursday's performance was a 10-second PR for Smith, who also climbed up to eighth in program history in the event, finishing the season as one of five Sycamores with an indoor or outdoor 5000m time under 17 minutes during the 2024-25 campaign.
 
Yoder also had a career-best performance Thursday in the hammer throw, finishing with a top mark of 52.89m (173-6) to place eighth in the event. The 2025 MVC Outdoor Track and Field Co-Freshman of the Year also carded an eighth-place finish in the discus with a top throw of 47.01m (154-2), capping a season which saw her win the MVC title in the discus as a freshman.
 
Grant closed the day for the Blue and White by finishing 10th in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 11:22.52. Thursday's performance was Grant's fifth steeplechase under 11:25 this season, and also gave the Sycamores a top-10 finish in the event at the USATF U20 Championships for the second straight year after Ryan York finished ninth on the men's side last season.
 
Up Next
Olivia Marshall closes the 2024-25 Indiana State track and field season Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET when she competes in the shot put at the 2025 USATF U20 Championships.
 
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