LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 19, 2018) – A well-rounded team effort was the story of the day for the University of Wyoming track & field team on Thursday, as the Pokes began a busy trip to California with a variety of impressive marks in all event areas. Most of the team competed at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate in Long Beach, Calif., while sophomore steeplechaser Harry Ewing posted a UW all-time top 10 performance in Torrance, Calif., at the Mt. SAC Relays.
“I think it was one of our best all-around meets,†UW head coach Bryan Berryhill said of the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate. “I think we had some really good solid performances across all the event areas. I think any time you get to a new venue and see some new competition, that always helps. Most of the (event) fields are large and you see different and quality competition. The good thing is we get to compete at the same place again the next two days.â€
The UW throws bros came out in full force once again on Thursday as both Damon Unland and Kirk Unland set personal bests in the men’s hammer throw at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate. Damon tossed 199 feet, 3 inches for sixth place in the field of 31, downing his previous PR recorded at the same site a year ago. Meanwhile, Kirk took 10th at 192-3 to add nearly four feet onto his previous best mark.
On the women’s side of the hammer throw, Emelda Malm-Annan’s toss of 197 feet even fell just two inches short of her personal record. Malm-Annan placed fourth in the field of 47 throwers. Hannah Carr continued the throwers’ amazing day, taking eighth in a field of 46 in the women’s discus. Carr also narrowly missed a PR at 159-2.
Ja’la Henderson recorded strong performances in both lateral jumps events in Long Beach, finishing fourth in the women’s long jump (19-4.25) and third in the women’s triple jump (40-7.5). Likewise, William Nolan posted a pair of high finishes, taking fifth in both the men’s long jump (23-4.5) and men’s triple jump (46-7.5).
On the track in Long Beach, standout sprinter Jerayah Davis got her outdoor season underway with an individual victory in the women’s 100-meter dash. Davis clocked 11.69 seconds in her season debut, tops in the field of 28, while Jordan Edmonds took eighth at 12.10. Jace Marx was fifth in the men’s 100 meters, posting a season-best time of 10.63, while Sam Kirkeide placed 13th at 10.83. Marx was third in the field of 21 in the men’s 200 meters, posting another season-best at 21.77. Edmonds clocked 24.54 in the women’s 200 meters, finishing seventh.
Marx also lent his services to the Cowboys’ 4×100-meter relay team, which finished third with a time of 41.75. Davis and company posted a time of 47.05 in the women’s 4×100-meter relay as the Cowgirls took fifth.
Jackson Wood posted yet another high finish for the Pokes, clocking a time of 49.47 to take second in the men’s 400 meters. In the women’s 400 meters, Melina Harris crossed the finish line in 57.58 to take ninth place. Heidi Pfoor placed third in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, finishing with a time of 1:01.97. Brandon McGuire placed third on the men’s side of the event, clocking in at 54.75.
Ewing, competing at sea level for the first time during the outdoor season, ripped a conversion-free 8:52.70 to finish second in the open section of the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the prestigious Mt. SAC Relays. In the process, Ewing chopped five seconds off his personal best and moved up to No. 8 on the UW all-time list for the event.
UW distance runners Michael Downey and Christopher Henry were also slated to participate in the elite section of the men’s 10,000-meter run at Mt. SAC late Thursday night, but had not yet competed at the time of this release.
Wyoming continues its busy California weekend tomorrow, as a number of distance athletes will compete at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, Calif., while some of the team will stay in Long Beach for the Beach Invitational.
