Anna Camp-Bennett (née Camp; born April 9, 1998) is an American middle-distance runner who competes in the 800 m and 1500 m. Competing for Brigham Young University, she won the 1500 m at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.[1]

Anna Camp-Bennett
Camp-Bennett at the 2020 US Olympic Trials
Personal information
Birth nameAnna Camp
Born (1998-04-09) April 9, 1998 (age 26)
Fillmore, Utah
EducationBrigham Young University
Sport
SportTrack and Field
Event(s)800 m, 1500 m
University teamBYU Cougars
ClubTaylorMade Elite
Coached byDiljeet Taylor
Achievements and titles
Personal bests
  • 800 m: 2:00.53 (Los Angeles 2024)
  • 1500 m: 4:04.99 (Memphis 2023)
  • 5000 m: 15:24.95 (Palo Alto 2024)
  • Indoor
  • 1500 m: 4:08.86 (New York City 2024)
  • Mile: 4:26.95 (New York City 2024)
  • 3000 m: 8:49.87 (Boston 2023)

After graduating from BYU, Camp-Bennett signed professionally with Adidas, and has since set personal bests of 2:00.60 in the 800 m, 4:04.99 in the 1500 m, and 4:26.95 in the mile, while remaining under the tutelage of her college coach Diljeet Taylor.

Athletics career

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High School

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Camp-Bennett attended Millard High School in her hometown of Fillmore, Utah, from 2012 to 2016, where she was an eight-time state champion on the track in events ranging from the 400 m to the 3200 m. as well as being a three-time state cross country champion.

Brigham Young University

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Because she competed at the 2A level in high school, a classification reserved for smaller schools, Camp-Bennett lacked the competition to run faster times to facilitate increased attention to be recruited. However, BYU women's track and field coach, Patrick Shane gave her an opportunity, citing her impressive range from the 400 m up to cross country.[2][3]

2017

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In fall 2016, Camp-Bennett enrolled at BYU and joined the Cougars track and field and cross country teams, making her Cougar debut during the 2017 track season. That year, she would go on to set a personal best of 2:08.18 and finish sixth at the USATF U20 Outdoor Championships in the 800 m, as well as qualify for the NCAA West Preliminary Round over 1500 m,

2018

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The following year, 2018, competing in the 1500 m at the NCAA West Prelims, she finished just one spot out of qualifying for the NCAA Championships, but set a 4:18.08 personal best in the process.[4]

2019

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Competing at her first national championship in 2019, Camp-Bennett competed alongside Brenna Porter, Lauren Ellsworth, and Erica Birk in the DMR at the NCAA Indoor Championships. With Camp running the leadoff 1200 m leg, they placed second.[5]

During the outdoor season, Camp-Bennett qualified for her first NCAA Outdoor Championships competing in the 800 m, after setting a personal best of 2:03.69 at the West Prelims. At the NCAA Championships in Austin, she qualified for the final, placing eighth.[6]

2021

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In March 2021, Camp-Bennett finished eleventh at the postponed 2020 NCAA Cross Country Championships, leading the BYU women to a national title.[7] On the track, she qualified in both the 800 m and 1500 m for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon. She didn't qualify for the final in the 800 m, but in the 1500 m she upset the field to take the win in a personal best and BYU school record of 4:08.53.[8]

Just one week after her NCAA victory, she competed in the 1500 m at the US Olympic Trials, advancing to the semi-finals before being eliminated.[9]

Camp-Bennett's final collegiate race came at the 2021 NCAA Cross Country Championships, in Tallahassee, Florida, where she placed 12th overall as part of the second place BYU women's team.[10]

Professional

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2022

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In January 2022, Camp-Bennett signed a professional contract with Adidas, choosing to remain with her BYU coach, Diljeet Taylor.[11] She made her pro debut at the 2022 Millrose Games, placing eleventh in the Wanamaker Mile. Outdoors, she concentrated on the 800 m, running a personal best of 2:00.60 at the Portland Track Festival and reaching the semi-finals of the USA Outdoor Championships.[12]

2023

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In 2023, she shifted focus to the 1500 m, running just one 800 m all year. She failed to reach the 1500 m final at the USA Outdoor Championships, but ran a personal best of 4:04.99 for third at the Ed Murphy Classic in Memphis, Tennessee.[13]

2024

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In February 2024, she ran a mile personal best of 4:26.95 to take eleventh at the Millrose Games and the following week placed third behind Nikki Hiltz and Emily Mackay over 1500 m at the USA Indoor Championships.[14]

Personal life

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Camp-Bennett is the daughter of Carl and Kristine Camp and was raised in the town of Fillmore, Utah, a town of just 2,500 people. She has seven siblings: Katie, Josh, Mandee, Nathan, Jaren, Audrey and Kara and majored in Recreation Management at BYU.[2]

In 2019, she married Kieran Bennett at the Payson Utah Temple. She and her husband are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[9]

Competition record

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NCAA Championships

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Representing the   BYU Cougars
Year Competitipm Venue Position Event Time
2019 NCAA Indoor Championships Birmingham, Alabama 2nd DMR 10:54.14
NCAA Outdoor Championships Austin, Texas 8th 800 m 2:05.93
2021 NCAA Cross Country Championships (2020) Stillwater, Oklahoma 11th 6 km 20:28.3
NCAA Outdoor Championships Eugene, Oregon 10th 800 m (h) 2:03.95
1st 1500 m 4:08.53
NCAA Cross Country Championships Tallahassee, Florida 12th 6 km 19:39.3

USA Championships

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Representing the   BYU Cougars (2017–2021) and   Adidas (2022–present)
Year Competition Venue Position Event Time
2017 USA U20 Championships Sacramento, California 6th 800 m 2:09.02
2021 US Olympic Trials Eugene, Oregon 16th (sf) 1500 m 4:12.05
2022 USA Indoor Championships Spokane, Washington 12th 3000 m 9:15.95
USA Outdoor Championships Eugene, Oregon 13th (sf) 800 m 2:02.31
2023 USA Outdoor Championships 13th (sf) 1500 m 4:13.36
2024 USA Indoor Championships Albuquerque, New Mexico 3rd 4;10.20
USA 1 Mile Road Championships Des Moines, Iowa 2nd Mile 4:33.67

References

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  1. ^ "Anna CAMP BENNETT | Profile | World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  2. ^ a b "Anna Camp-Bennett - Women's Track & Field 2021". BYU Athletics - Official Athletics Website - BYU Cougars. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  3. ^ "How this BYU runner went from a small-town athlete to a national champion". Deseret News. 2023-12-20. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  4. ^ "NCAA West Preliminary Round". NCAA. 26 May 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  5. ^ "National-qualifying women share their stories of hope". BYU Athletics - Official Athletics Website - BYU Cougars. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  6. ^ "BYU women tie for 25th at NCAA Championships". BYU Athletics - Official Athletics Website - BYU Cougars. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  7. ^ "BYU women's cross country wins national title". BYU Cougars. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  8. ^ "BYU's Anna Camp-Bennett wins national championship in 1500 meters". ABC4 Utah. 2021-06-13. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  9. ^ a b "Latter-day Saint runner Anna Camp-Bennett is a BYU national champ — again". Church News. 2024-01-11. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  10. ^ "TFRRS | Anna Camp – Track and Field Results & Statistics". www.tfrrs.org. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  11. ^ "NCAA Champion Anna Camp-Bennett On Turning Pro, Signing With Adidas + The Next Chapter". CITIUS MAG. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  12. ^ "Portland Track Festival — Great Distance Marks Galore". Track and Field News. July 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  13. ^ Boal, Erik (5 August 2023). "Addy Wiley Adds Sub-2 800 Performance to Impressive Resume at Ed Murphey Classic". Runnerspace. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  14. ^ Lindstrom, Sieg (2024-02-19). "USATF Indoor Day 2 Women — Title Defenses Plentiful". Track & Field News. Retrieved 2024-05-02.