Fiona Benson

The recent Trinity-Western University graduate made a big statement Saturday at the FloTrack Throwdown with a world-leading mark of 4:25 in the mile. Benson, a native of British Columbia, has been dropping personal bests like clockwork, first with a seven-second improvement in her 800m time at the Victory Run Series. She followed the performance with another personal best at Harry Jerome (2:01.48), then Victoria Track Classic (2:01.02), and an even bigger breakthrough at Portland Track Classic, where she ran 1:59.94. She competed at the Canadian National Championships in July where she finished first ahead of Olympian Melissa Bishop. 
 

World Leading 4:25.79 from Fiona Benson!!! She made it look easy. And she PR'd by 10+ seconds! #FloThrowdown pic.twitter.com/3itH8dCz8e

— FloTrack (@FloTrack) August 9, 2015

The unsponsored athlete will be representing Team Canada in the 800m at the World Championships in Beijing beginning August 22. 

 

Stephanie Garcia

The recent World Championships qualifier rocked Sir Walter Miler last Friday by running a then-world leading mark of 4:28 in the mile. In front of a roaring crowd in Raleigh, North Carolina, Garcia charged down the homestretch to take down Amanda Eccleston, Heather Wilson, and Morgan Uceny for the win in her last race before heading to Beijing. 
 

@steph_steeples winning @SirWalterMiler in 4:28.84 @ctreworgy pic.twitter.com/IcNiavYgjG

— Cheryl Treworgy (@ctreworgy) August 8, 2015

For Garcia, the performance was one of many personal bests this season, as the steeplechaser has made improvements in every event from the 5K to the 1500m in 2015. Her season was highlighted by a runner-up finish at the USATF Outdoor Championships where she qualified for her first World Championship team in a new personal best of 9:23.48. 

 

Ashton Eaton

The Olympic and World Champion decathlete lit up the pole vault runway Saturday in Portland after clearing a personal best of 5.40m at the FloTrack Throwdown. Prior to the performance at Duniway Park, Eaton held a personal best of 5.35m from Feb. 2014. The performance on Saturday marked Eaton’s first attempt at the pole vault since clearing 5.22m at the Drake Relays in April. 
 

Fellow Bendite @AshtonJEaton just had PB at @FloTrack pic.twitter.com/qnLgewXjWw

— Eric Steimer (@pdxersteimer) August 9, 2015

Despite battling injuries on and off during the 2015 season, Eaton will be heading to Beijing to defend his 2013 World Championship title. 

 

Peter Callahan

Just days after running a personal best of 3:37 in the 1500m in Belgium, Peter Callahan made his way to Portland to take down a stacked field of competitors in the FloTrack Throwdown mile. In an explosive kick to the finish, Callahan broke away from a pack that included Olympic silver medalist Galen Rupp and World Championships qualifier Hassan Mead for a new personal best of 3:58.43. The performance marked the first time a sub-four mile was run at Duniway Park and the first time Callahan broke four minutes on an outdoor track. 
 

Peter Callahan (@PtCallahan) wins the mile at the Flotrack Throwdown @PrincetonTrack #FloThrowdown pic.twitter.com/5Ljn28skCU

— Pat Holleran (@athleticsPix) August 11, 2015

 

Robby Andrews

World Championships qualifier Robby Andrews wowed the crowd on Friday under the lights at Sir Walter Miler with a winning time of 3:57 in Raleigh. The electric crowd carried Andrews to victory over a field that included Kyle Merber, Jack Bolas, Lex Williams, Brandon Hudgins and Ford Palmer. Andrews will make his next stop on the track at the World Championships in Beijing, a spot he earned after finishing third at the USATF Outdoor Championships in June. The performance will mark his first time competing for Team USA at the World Championships.