10 can't-miss performances from the men's track and field season's first half

We're about halfway through the 2022 outdoor track and field season and a few meets remain before conference championships and NCAA prelims. It's a good time to look at the top 10 performances from the first half.

Here they are, listed alphabetically by last name:

Mykolas Alekna | California

Although Mykolas Alekna is the son of two-time Olympic discus gold medalist Virgilijus Alekna, he has still built a name for himself in track and field. Only a freshman at Cal, Mykolas leads the nation in the discus after hitting 66.70 meters at the Aztec Invitational. That distance is the furthest since 2016, and Mykolas sits third in NCAA history in the discus.

GOODNESS. 😱

Mykolas Alekna has broken the NCAA Freshman Record AND Cal’s all-time school record with his performance today at the Aztec Invitational!! 🐻

He currently ranks No. 3️⃣ all-time in collegiate history, as per @USTFCCCA .#GoBears pic.twitter.com/TI4EvjaP4g

— Cal XC/Track & Field (@CalTFXC) March 27, 2022

Trey Cunningham | Florida State

In Trey Cunningham's first outdoor hurdles race of the year, he ran a nation-leading 13.22 in the 110-meter hurdles. That time is more than .2 seconds faster than the next fastest wind-legal time.

There goes that man Trey🔥

He breaks the school record and has the 🌎lead at 13.22 in the 110m hurdles.

He’ll run in the finals at 2:30🍢#OneTribe pic.twitter.com/NLJYC0rXZj

— Florida State T&F/XC (@FSU_Track) April 16, 2022

Eliud Kipsang | Alabama

Alabama's Eliud Kipsang broke the 1500 meters record at the Bryan Clay Invitational, finishing in 3:33.74. Kipsang beat the previous record — which was set last year — by almost a second. His splits for full laps around the track were 56.7, 58.5 and 56.4, respectively. Kipsang finished the final 200 meters in 27.9 seconds.

𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 ‼️

Alabama's Eliud Kipsang set a new NCAA record for the 1500m with his time of 3:33.74!#NCAATF x 📸@AlabamaTrack pic.twitter.com/8LjsSn8MDv

— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) April 16, 2022

Jenoah Mckiver | Iowa

The nation's 400-meter leader hails from Iowa after Jenoah Mckiver ran a personal-best 44.74 at the Jim Click Shootout. At the time of the finish, Mckiver's time was the second-fastest in the world this season.

🔥 44.74 🔥

At the Jim Click Shootout, @JenoahMckiver set a program record in the men's 400m with his time of 44.74 and is currently No. 1 in the NCAA and No. 2 in the world for this event! #NCAATF x 🎥 @IowaXC_TF pic.twitter.com/9fcxNI7auo

— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) April 12, 2022

Ayden Owens | Decathlon

Ayden Owens now owns the best wind-legal decathlon in NCAA history after scoring 8528 points at the Mt. SAC relays. It was an impressive all-around performance. Here are his times and marks.

• 100 meters - 10.27 seconds (fastest-ever in NCAA decathlon history)
• Long jump - 7.51 meters
• Shot put - 14.89 meters (PR)
• High jump - 1.92 meters
• 400 meters - 46.12 seconds (fastest-ever in NCAA decathlon history)
• 110 meter hurdles - 13.80 seconds
• Discus - 43.00 meters
• Javelin - 53.50 meters
• 1500 meters - 4:13.17 (PR)

Comments from Razorback Ayden Owens on his collegiate record of 8,528 points in the decathlon

Chasing the collegiate all-conditions best score by Lindon Victor

Achieving the records he set with teammates Daniel Spejcher and Noah Swaby in the competition with him#WPS pic.twitter.com/7cEI7t1YXw

— Arkansas Track & Field (@RazorbackTF) April 15, 2022

Devon Achane | Texas A&M & Jacory Patterson | Florida

In the 200 meters, two athletes sit tied for the fastest time run all season — Texas A&M's Devon Achane and Florida's Jacory Patterson. Both Achane and Patterson ran 20.20 in the 200. Achane ran his blazing time at the Texas A&M v Texas dual meet with a +1.3 wind. Patterson ran his time at the Florida Relays with no wind at all.

Achane is a bad dude 🤫

🥇 20.20 (w/1.3)

➡️ =NCAA-Leader
➡️ =No. 4 Aggie All-Time
➡️ Fastest RB in NCAA@ffvmousvon_ | #GigEm pic.twitter.com/W8Oucg7Ahr

— Texas A&M Track & Field/Cross Country (@aggietfxc) April 3, 2022

Adrian "Tripp" Piperi | Texas

Tripp Piperi has been dominant all season long. His performance at Texas Relays backs that up. In the shot put, Piperi launched his way to a distance of 21.54 meters, breaking a Longhorn record. With the toss, he moved to 13th all-time in NCAA history.

TRIPP PIPERI!! @Tripp_Piperi TAKES DOWN THE TEXAS & TEXAS RELAYS SHOT PUT RECORD AT 21.54m (70-8)! 🤘 pic.twitter.com/AN9tFOOWjP

— Texas T&F/XC (@TexasTFXC) March 26, 2022

Micah Williams | Oregon

Oregon's Micah Williams is the nation's fastest all-conditions 100-meter man. His 9.83-second finish (+2.5) at the Mt. SAC Relays is the only sub-9.9 second time this season in the world. The performance came after running a 9.96 (+3.1) in the qualifiers. Fast wind or not, Williams' performance was elite.

When you're the new 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑 in the 100 meters.

👀 https://t.co/iA7rubzM7Q#GoDucks pic.twitter.com/XFOLEJ4QiY

— oregontf (@OregonTF) April 16, 2022

Moad Zahafi | Texas Tech

At the Tom Jones Memorial, Texas Tech's Moad Zahafi ran a 1:43.69 in the 800 meters, winning by more than two seconds. Zahafi blazed around the track, finishing the first lap in 50.94 seconds. In the 800 meters, Zahafi now has the third-fastest time in NCAA history, a Texas Tech record, and the world lead.

Two words: MOAD ZAHAFI

1:43.69 in the 800m

World lead ✅
School record ✅
No. 3 ALL-TIME NCAA mark ✅
First sub 1:45 time in 2022 ✅#WreckEm | @NCAATrackField pic.twitter.com/5eDbYOB58p

— Texas Tech Track & Field (@TexasTechTF) April 16, 2022

Florida's 4x400 meter relay

Florida's men's 4x400 meter relay became the first team in collegiate history to run sub-2:59, setting a new collegiate record. The Gators relay team of Jacory Patterson, Ryan Willie, Jacob Miley and Champion Allison ran a 2:58.53.

No 4x400 team in collegiate history has ever run under 2:59.00.

Florida just ran 2:58.53 in April!

The Gators now have the men's collegiate records in the 4x1 and 4x4!

- @jacoryp77
- @RyanWilliee
- @Jdmileyy
- @IamChampallison pic.twitter.com/ZBRz1eALYD

— Gators Track and Field & Cross Country (@GatorsTF) April 16, 2022