Tarbert and Lack set new EWU school records in 55 dash at Candy Cane IX...

CHENEY—School records in the 55 meter dash by Eastern Washington’s Rebecca Tarbert (above/photo courtesy EWU Athletics) and Dawson Lack highlighted the Eagles’ 2017 indoor season opener at the Candy Cane IX meet at Jim Thorpe Fieldhouse on the EWU campus Saturday.

Tarbert, the Wenatchee native and defending Big Sky 60 champion, ran 6.78, breaking the 11-year old school record set by Joyce Rainwater.

Lack, a freshman from Medical Lake, ran 6.24 to eclipse the 16-year old record set by Johnnie Williams in 2000.

The Eagles also swept the pole vault competition, led by defending Big Sky indoor and outdoor champ Larry Still, who cleared 15-11 (4.85m).

Eastern’s Erin Clark won the women’s vault with a clearance of 12-10.25 (3.92m), as the Eagles took the first five places in that event.

Freshman Keshun McGee swept both the men’s long and triple jumps, jumping 23-2.25 (7.07m) and 49-7 (15.11m), the latter good for a new meet record.

Central Washington’s Kodiak Landis, who was third at last year’s GNAC decathlon championship, won the heptathlon with a score of 5119 points. Montana’s Erika McLeod, the defending Big Sky pentathlon and heptathlon champ, won the pentathlon with a score of 3842 points.

In the overall team competition, the Eagle men won over Montana by a 59-42 count, while the Grizzlies defeated the host Eagles in the women’s competition 68-39.  The longest distance run in the meet was 600 meters, and was primarily designed for the sprinters, jumpers and throwers of both squads.

Eastern Washington's meet recap is available here.

Complete results of the Candy Cane IX are available here.

ASICS ANNOUNCED AS NEW IAAF PARTNER…

ASICS and the IAAF are delighted to announce a new multiple-year partnership with ASICS becoming the latest addition to the prestigious group of Official IAAF Partners.

As Official IAAF Partner, ASICS will be present at and involved in all IAAF World Athletics Series events including the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London, GBR (4-13 August 2017) and the 2019 IAAF World Championships in Doha, QAT.

As part of the agreement, ASICS will kit the officials and volunteers at all IAAF World Athletics Series events with ASICS’ footwear and apparel that will ensure the smooth running of these events.  For ASICS this important partnership will allow a strategic expansion of its brand recognition internationally by association with the world’s top athletics events that are viewed by significant global audiences.

ASICS President and CEO Motoi Oyama stated: “I am so happy to have the honour of supporting the IAAF as an Official Partner. We at ASICS hope to both develop excellent products and contribute to the growth the sporting world as a whole by supporting athletics around the globe as an Official Partner of the IAAF.”

IAAF President Sebastian Coe commented: “Global athletics starts a new chapter today based upon solid foundations of modern governance and a renewed determination to protect and promote clean athletes. We are delighted to have attracted ASICS, a world-class sportswear designer and manufacturer, as our latest Official IAAF Partner to share this new journey with us. This agreement is a huge endorsement of a bright future for athletics whose universality and diversity makes it a natural partner for a global corporation like ASICS. We are excited to be joined by a partner whose vision shares our strategy for a youthful, innovative sport that promotes fair competition and healthy living.”

The deal was brokered by the IAAF’s long-term commercial partner Dentsu Inc, in close collaboration with the IAAF, and ends in 2019.

The iAAF release is available here.

NOTE:  The sports information office of Eastern Washington and the IAAF contributed to this report.