Conner Blair Mantz (born December 8, 1996) is an American long-distance runner who specializes in the marathon. Mantz ran collegiately for Brigham Young University, winning the 2020 and 2021 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. Mantz holds American records in both the half marathon (set at the 2025 Houston Half Marathon), and the marathon (set at the 2025 Chicago Marathon). He has competed professionally for Nike since 2021 and was the top American finisher at the 2024 Paris Olympic Marathon, finishing in 8th place.

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. He placed 29th over the 8 km race, 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. Mantz's victory broke a streak of wins by international athletes and made him 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 to finish in a course record of 28:33.1. The win concluded an undefeated season of cross country for Mantz.

Performances by Mantz on the track included a world-leading performance of 13:34.46 over 5000 m at the UW Invitational in February 2021. His time also broke the BYU school record for the indoor 5000 m. Later that year, Mantz finished runner up in the 10000 metres at the 2021 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Senior competition

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 next took 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. His performance was the second fastest marathon debut by an American, 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, where he placed 8th. He ran much of the race in Paris with his training partner, Clayton Young, who finished ninth.

Although Mantz's personal best was the 56th fastest in the field, he produced an eighth place finish in the marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In the lead up to the Olympics, Mantz suffered a two inch tear in one of his quad muscles. While recovering from the injury, he swam up to 10,000 yards in one day and worked on the hills he would face in Paris by running uphill and getting driven downhill in repetition. In his first marathon since the Olympic Games, Mantz placed sixth at the 2024 New York City Marathon. His time of 2:09:00 was the fastest for an American man since Alberto Salazar in 1981.

2025 Mantz set the American record in the half-marathon in January, running 59:17 in Houston. His record broke the previous best mark set by Ryan Hall in 2007. He set another personal best at the New York City Half-Marathon on March 16, running 59:15; however, the course was not eligible for an American record. He finished second behind Abel Kipchumba of Kenya. At the 2025 Boston Marathon Mantz stayed with the lead pack until John Korir broke off in the final 10k, leaving Mantz with Tanzanian Simbu and Kenyan Kotut to battle for the final two podium places. Simbu and Kotut had a photo finish for 2nd and 3rd and Mantz finished 4 seconds behind them in 4th place and a personal best of 2:05:08. Over the summer, Mantz won the Beach to Beacon 10K in a time 27:26, which broke the previous course record set by Gilbert Okari in 2003. Mantz is one of only two Americans, along with Ben True, to ever win the road race. At the 2025 Chicago Marathon, Mantz finished in 4th, breaking the American marathon record with a time of 2:04:43.

Achievements National championships 2021United States Olympic TrialsEugene, Oregon5th10,000 m27:59.378th5000 m13:32.69USA Half Marathon ChampionshipsHardeeville, South Carolina1stHalf Marathon1:00:5520222022 USA Indoor Track and Field ChampionshipsSpokane, Washington4th3000 m7:49.432022 USA Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsEugene, Oregon4th5000 m13:11.817th10000 m28:31.24USATF 8 km ChampionshipsKingsport, Tennessee2nd8 km22:42USATF 20 km ChampionshipsNew Haven, Connecticut1st20 km59:0820232023 USA Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsEugene, Oregon6th10,000 m28:29.3610th5000 m13:30.85USATF 20 km ChampionshipsNew Haven, Connecticut2nd20 km59:162024United States Olympic TrialsOrlando, Florida1stMarathon2:09:05Eugene, Oregon6th10,000 m28:00.902025USATF 20 km ChampionshipsNew Haven, Connecticut1st20 km56:16

BYU

Representing BYU Cougars School Year West Coast ConferenceCross CountryChampionship NCAACross CountryChampionship MPSFIndoor TrackChampionship NCAAIndoor TrackChampionship NCAA Division IOutdoor TrackChampionship2021-22 Red Shirt-Senior1st23:01.0 1st28:33.12020-21 Senior1st22:54.4 1st29:26.1 10,000m 2nd27:42.462019-20 Junior1st23:33.8 3rd30:40.0 2018-19 Sophomore3rd23:24.7 10th29:17.1 3000m 2nd7:50.90 3000m 7th7:56.72 5000m 7th14:09.205000m 10th13:51.45 10,000m 4th29:19.932017-18 Freshman 3000m 10th8:02.75 10,000m 22nd31:37.34 5000m 6th14:01.96 Conner Mantz Brigham Young University results TFRRS

Sky View High School Year Foot Locker Cross Country Championships New Balance Indoor Nationals 2014 10th15:27.02014 Foot Locker Cross Country National Championship Boys Results Foot Locker Cross Country Championships2013-14 7th15:23.02013 Foot Locker Cross Country National Championship Boys Results Foot Locker Cross Country Championships 5000m14:24:331stBrooks PR 2 mile 4th8:56.622012-13 12th15:32.32012 Foot Locker Cross Country National Championship Boys Results Foot Locker Cross Country Championships Great Southwest Classic3200 Meters 2nd 9:32.51 Representing Sky View High School atUtah High School Activities Association Year Cross Countryclass 4 state championship Outdoor Track and Fieldclass 4 state championship2014-15 15:18.92nd place 3200 m9:03.471st 1600 m4:13.682nd 800 m1:58.2010th2013-14 15:11.51st place 3200 m8:57.991st 1600 m4:10.471st 800 m1:56.805th2012-13 15:17.83rd place 3200 m9:10.202nd 1600 m4:16.083rd2011-12 15:40.02nd place 3200 m9:18.563rd 1600 m4:22.57th Conner Mantz bio Sky View High School in Smithfield, Utah Athletic.net

References

External links

Conner Mantz 2021 Training blog Conner Mantz at Mormon Wiki

Conner Mantz Profile at Wanda Diamond League Conner Mantz Profile at Strava Conner Mantz Cross Country profile at BYU Cougars