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Tennessee’s JL Van Rensburg Ties the School Shot Put Record for NCAA Silver

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Tennessee’s best shot put finish in NCAA Outdoor Championships history came down to one enormous throw. Sophomore JL Van Rensburg tied the school record at 20.33m (66-8.5) to finish second in Eugene and earn First Team All-America honours.

He wasn’t the only Vol rewriting the program’s record book against history. Igor Olaru placed eighth in the hammer at 71.11m — Tennessee’s best NCAA hammer result since 1997 — and Ismaila Sawaneh placed fourth in the pole vault at 5.70m, the program’s best outdoor finish in the event since its 2016 national title.

Tennessee totaled 14 points on day one and stood tied for fourth in the team standings — a field-event group carrying the orange deep into the national meet.

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Yehualaw Returns in Valencia as Kwizera Chases Spanish History

Yalemzerf Yehualaw returns from maternity leave in Valencia on Oct. 25, Rodrigue Kwizera chases a first Spanish win, and Kenenisa Bekele is also on the start list.

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Kenenisa Bekele racing the marathon

The Valencia Half Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 25 brings together a returning superstar, a man chasing national history, and one of the greatest distance runners of all time.

Yalemzerf Yehualaw headlines the women’s race in her return from maternity leave. The Ethiopian last raced at the Boston Marathon in April 2025, finishing third in 2:18:06, and her half marathon personal best of 1:03:51 — run on this course in 2021 — makes her the fastest woman in the field. She faces Lisbon champion Tsigie Gebreselama, world road running silver medallist Veronica Loleo and Ftaw Zeray on a course famous for fast times.

The men’s race could produce a first. Rodrigue Kwizera owns the fastest personal best in the field at 58:16, set in Prague earlier this year, and after receiving Spanish citizenship in 2026 he is chasing both the first Spanish men’s victory in Valencia and the Spanish record of 59:39. His training partner Thierry Ndikumwenayo, Andrea Kiptoo, Owen Kapkama, Daniel Ebenyo and 2018 winner Jemal Yimer are all in the field — along with Kenenisa Bekele, the three-time Olympic champion whose appearance alone will draw a crowd.

Britain’s Ben Connor, Charlie Wheeler and Samantha Harrison also feature. The course records — Yomif Kejelcha’s 57:30 and Letesenbet Gidey’s 1:02:52 — were both world records when set, which tells you everything about Valencia’s speed.

Photo: Canadian Running

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