Appropriately, the weight throwers drop bombs at the Ken Shannon Last Chance Invite...
SEATTLE--It was only appropriate in the meet named after the legendary Ken Shannon that the throwers took center stage during day one of the Ken Shannon Last Chance Invitational Friday evening at the Dempsey Indoor facility on the campus of the University of Washington.
Shannon, a member of the Husky Hall of Fame, coached at the University of Washington from the late '60s until his retirement following the 2000 season. During his hall of fame career at Washington, he was named as a throws coach for several US national teams, including the 1984 US Olympic team in Los Angeles.
In his second meet of the season, Jayden White (photo courtesy UW Athletics) uncorked a massive toss in the 35-pound weight throw, as the implement landed 77-10 (23.73m), 5 inches and 13 centimeters further than the old Dempsey facility record set by USC's Conor McCullough (77-5/23.60m) set in 2015.
After an opening round throw of 73-8 (22.47m), he had two straight fouls before uncorking the winning throw in round 4.
White closed out his series with a throw of 74-4 (23.73m) and 75-4 (22.98m).
Husky senior Beatrice Asomaning broke her own women’s weight throw record on her sixth and final attempt of the competition, and therefore likely the senior’s last throw in the building in a Husky jersey. She added nearly a foot to her career-best, going 71-0 (21.65m).
Asomaning came into the day ranked 17th, looking to make the top-16 for NCAA qualification. The school record may leave her just short of making it to Boston, but will have to wait until after declarations for the championships are made next week.
In one of the feature races of the day, Henry Wynne (Paul Merca photo) of the Brooks Beasts just held off a late charge by Seattle resident Sam Prakel, who is part of UW coach Andy Powell's pro group.
Wynne hung on to win the invitational men's mile, clocking 3:52.62 to Prakel's 3:52.65.
Brannon Kidder of the Brooks Beasts was third in a time of 3:53.62, followed by teammate Waleed Suliman in 3:53.70. Washington's Joe Waskom was fifth in 3:56.94.
Washington alum Kieran Lumb, also part of Powell's pro group, won the invitational men's 800 in a Dempsey facility record 1:46.34, breaking the old mark set by Andrew Wheating of Oregon of 1:46.36 set fourteen years ago.
Current Husky Nathan Green was second in a UW school record 1:46.50, while UW alum Sam Ellis was third at 1:46.83.
Former Oregon standout Susan Ejore broke the Dempsey record in the women's 5000, running 14:55.35 to win over Australian 10000m champ Lauren Ryan, who also got under 15 minutes at 14:57.67.
Five runners dipped under 15:10, including UW alum Kayley DeLay of the Brooks Beasts, who ran 15:05.96.
USC's Johnny Brackins Jr, who won the USATF indoor long jump title in Albuquerque last week, broke the facility record twice in the 60 hurdles, running 7.57 in the preliminary heat to take out Devon Allen of Oregon's 2016 mark of 7.60.
In the finals, Brackins ran 7.55.
Other highlights:
--Washington's Hana Moll won the women's pole vault with a leap of 14-8.25 (4.48m), after being in third as the field dwindled.
Moll, who missed twice at her last clearance of 14-4.25 (4.38m), passed at 14-6.25 (4.43m) as Washington State's Eva Lowder and UW teammate Nastassja Campbell battled at that bar.
When both missed all three attempts, Moll calmly cleared the winning height on her first attempt to seal the win.
She bowed out after missing all three attempts at a new personal best and NCAA D1 collegiate lead of 15-3.5 (4.66m).
For Lowder, who finished tied for second with Campbell, she walked away with a new Washington State school record, breaking Tamara Diles' mark set in 2002 of 14-3.25 (4.35m).
In the pentathlon, Annika Williams of Oregon won with a final score of 4149 points. More significantly in fourth was the performance of Emerald Ridge HS's JaiCieonna Gero-Holt, as she became the third American high schooler to break 4000 points, scoring 4104.
Only Anna Hall and Kendall Williams have broken 4000 points as high schoolers. For Gero-Holt, that puts her number two on the all-time high school list.
In the heptathlon, Rafael Raap of Oregon leads at the break with 3313 points, 163 points ahead of the Huskies' Jami Schlueter's 31.50.
Mason Mahacek of Washington State stands tied for third at 3104 with Cougar teammate Lee Walburn.
The Ken Shannon Last Chance Invitational continues Saturday beginning at 10 am with the heptathlon 60 hurdles.
EAGLES SNAG THREE PODIUM FINISHES AT THE PODIUM...
In Spokane, Eastern Washington athletes grabbed three podium finishes to complete day 2 of the Big Sky Championships, as the Eagles host the indoor championships for the first time in school history at The Podium.
University of Hawaii transfer Caitlin (Egypt) Simmons (photo courtesy EWU Athletics), competing in just her third meet as a member of the EWU squad, won the long jump with a best of 19-9.5 (6.04m). Simmons will double back Saturday in the triple jump in an attempt to win double gold.
Pole vaulter Zach Klobutcher, the defending Big Sky champ, finished second with a new personal best of 17-2.25 (5.24m) behind winner Colby Wilson of Montana State's meet record 17-6.25 (5.34m).
Multi event specialist Cody Teevens was third in the heptathlon with a two day score of 4969 points, as Nicola Paletti of Montana State won with 5353 points.
After six events in the men's competition, number one ranked Northern Arizona leads by a 74-47 margin over Montana State, with Eastern Washington third at 19.5 points.
Northern Arizona also leads the women's competition with 58 points, with Weber State second at 36. The Eagles are sixth with 18 points.
NOTE: The Big Sky Conference, and the sports information offices at the University of Washington and Eastern Washington University contributed to this report.
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