Conner Mantz

Conner Blair Mantz (born December 8, 1996) is an American long-distance runner, who specializes in the marathon. He ran collegiately for Brigham Young University and won the 2020 and 2021 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. Mantz was the winner of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. He has competed professionally for Nike since 2021.

Background and youth sports
Mantz completed his first half marathon at age 12, which motivated him to participate in other races. At age 14, he finished a half marathon in 1:11:24, averaging a pace of 5:26.8 minutes per mile. He attended Sky View High School in Smithfield, Utah, where he was a three-time All-American at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships. Mantz also represented the United States in the junior race at the 2015 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Guiyang, China, placing 29th over 8 km and leading Team USA to a sixth place finish.

Mantz committed to Brigham Young University (BYU), among offers from several other institutions, including Princeton and Furman. After high school, Mantz took a two-year hiatus from running to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ghana. Upon returning in 2017, Mantz redshirted his first year at BYU.

His great grandfather, Paul Mantz, was a noted air racing pilot and flight instructor.

Collegiate competition
Mantz ran for Brigham Young University (BYU). He won a national title at the 2020 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He won by over 20 seconds with a final time of 29:26.1. This victory broke a streak of wins by international athletes, making Mantz the first American to win the event since Galen Rupp in 2008.

The 2021 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships saw Mantz repeat as the winner. He covered the first 5k of the race in 14:16.4 and the second 5k in 14:16.7, finishing in a course record of 28:33.1. The win concluded an undefeated season of cross country for the collegiate.

Performances by Mantz on the track included a world-leading performance of 13:34.46 over 5,000m at the UW Invitational in February 2021. His time also broke the BYU school record for the indoor 5,000m. Later that year, Mantz finished runner up in the 10000 metres at the 2021 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

2021
Mantz competed in the 2020 United States Olympic trials in June 2021, which were delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic. He placed fifth in the 5000 m and eighth in the 10000 m.

ln December 2021, Mantz won the USA Half Marathon Championships in Hardeeville, South Carolina, with a time of 1:00:55. He competed again in the half marathon in March 2022, taking fifth at the NYC half marathon in 1:01.40.

2022
In September 2022, Mantz won a national title at the USATF 20 Km Road Championships. The following month, he debuted in the marathon at the 2022 Chicago Marathon, placing seventh in 2:08:16. He was the top American finisher in the race, and his performance was the second fastest marathon debut by an American, closely trailing Leonard Korir's debut record of 2:07:56.

2023
At the 2023 Boston Marathon, Mantz stayed in the lead pack for most of the race. Running with a large group of leaders, including Eliud Kipchoge, Evans Chebet, CJ Albertson, Mantz reached halfway in 1:02:20. By the 20-mile mark, he was 45 seconds off the five leaders (which included Chebet and Benson Kipruto). He nearly blacked out at mile 24, but stayed upright to finish as the third American (11th overall) in 2:10:25. At the 2023 Chicago Marathon, Mantz was the sixth place finisher and top American, lowering his personal best by 29 seconds to 2:07:47. His time met the qualifying standard for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

2024
Mantz won the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics. He ran much of the race with his training partner, Clayton Young, who finished second.