
Photo by: Red Box Pictures
Nkwonta Extends Weight Record On Day One Of Invite
January 31, 2020 | Track & Field
UW Invitational
Friday-Saturday - Jan. 31-Feb. 1
Dempsey Indoor
***The third heat of the women's DMR is scheduled to be re-contested on Saturday at approximately 5:05 p.m. due to an officiating error on a hand-off**
HEAT SHEETS | FINAL MEET SCHEDULE | FINAL MEET INFO | ACCEPTED ENTRIES | Home Meet Info
Live Results | Live Video
SEATTLE – Husky junior Angel Nkwonta broke her own school record in the weight throw today to highlight the first day of action at the UW Invitational in the Dempsey. Nkwonta twice broke the mark she first set just two weeks ago, ending with a bomb of 68-feet, 3-inches to get the victory.
As she did at the UW Indoor Preview, Nkwonta opened with a PR, as her first throw went 66-10, nearly ten inches better than her UW record coming into the day. Nkwonta then had another big toss of 66-3 on her fifth attempt, but saved the best for last, spinning and launching the 20-pound implement 68-3 to cap off the night.
Still, Nkwonta kept her celebration to a minimum because she said "It wasn't 21-meters (which would be 68-11) and that's the goal for now" with the thought being that 21-meters would be in a good spot to make NCAA Indoors.
As it stands, Nkwonta moves up to 14th in the NCAA this season, and the top-16 will eventually qualify for nationals.
"I feel like with every throw there's a little more I can do. Every throw Coach Ninow is like 'you need to put in the entry more' or 'you need to finish better' so I know there's more room to improve," Nkwonta said.
The action on the track came to a premature ending. The top heat of the women's distance medley relay had to be halted midway through due to an official's error and will be re-run on Saturday at 5:05 p.m. between the women's and men's 4x400-meter relays.
In the 60-meter hurdles, redshirt freshman Ida Eikeng, competing unattached, came away with the win in an impressive PR of 8.20 seconds, which would rank as the second-fastest in school history if run in uniform. Sophomore Aaliyah Wilson was fifth in the finals and in the prelims, she lowered her PR for the second-straight meet, running 8.52 seconds to move up to No. 6 on the Husky top-10 list. Senior Darhian Mills also was second overall in the finals in 8.68, competing unattached.
The multi-events started the day off, with junior Parker Kennedy and freshman Ollie Thorner going through the first four events in the heptathlon, and junior Hannah Rusnak competing in the pentathlon.
Kennedy opened up with personal-bests in the 60-meter dash at 7.10 and then long jumped an indoor best of 21-8 1/4. But his greatest gains came in the shot put, where he tossed a PR of more than five feet, going 42-1 1/2. He then ended day one with a high jump make of 5-10 3/4, also a career-best.
Thorner started his first collegiate multi with a time of 7.25 in the 60-meters and then long jumped 20-11 3/4. After a shot put best of 36-5 1/2, Thorner had his best event, tying for the win in the high jump with a make of 6-feet, 7-inches.
Pac-12 heptathlon champion Rusnak was doing impressive work through four events but chose not to run the final 800-meters today. She had won the opening 60-meter hurdles in 8.55, and then had an indoor PR in the high jump of 5-4 1/4 and then took second in the shot put at 38-11 1/2. Rusnak then won the long jump with an indoor PR of 19-5 1/2 on her third jump, but that would be her final event today.
Junior Evan Mafilas took third overall in the 200-meter dash with a season-best time of 21.84, and senior Jason Palmer was eighth in a time of 22.26. On the women's side, Aaliyah Wilson had a big indoor PR of 25.04 to take fourth in her third race of the day, and Jelani Heath also PR'd in 25.48.
The first flights of the pole vault took place today, and a big highlight came from freshman Ashleigh Helms, who cleared 13-5 1/4 on a third attempt, after also getting a third-attempt make at 12-11 1/2. Helms had a high school best of 13-0 and had opened with a clearance of 12-6 two weeks ago, so the Bellevue native added nearly a half foot to her PR today.
Also in the women's weight, freshman Beatrice Asomaning improved her PR in her second outing, throwing 51-5 3/4 today.
Friday-Saturday - Jan. 31-Feb. 1
Dempsey Indoor
***The third heat of the women's DMR is scheduled to be re-contested on Saturday at approximately 5:05 p.m. due to an officiating error on a hand-off**
HEAT SHEETS | FINAL MEET SCHEDULE | FINAL MEET INFO | ACCEPTED ENTRIES | Home Meet Info
Live Results | Live Video
SEATTLE – Husky junior Angel Nkwonta broke her own school record in the weight throw today to highlight the first day of action at the UW Invitational in the Dempsey. Nkwonta twice broke the mark she first set just two weeks ago, ending with a bomb of 68-feet, 3-inches to get the victory.
As she did at the UW Indoor Preview, Nkwonta opened with a PR, as her first throw went 66-10, nearly ten inches better than her UW record coming into the day. Nkwonta then had another big toss of 66-3 on her fifth attempt, but saved the best for last, spinning and launching the 20-pound implement 68-3 to cap off the night.
Here's Angel's latest UW record launch! ?? 68-3! #GoHuskies pic.twitter.com/ExM0NPFZ2G
— Washington Track & Field (@UWTrack) February 1, 2020
Still, Nkwonta kept her celebration to a minimum because she said "It wasn't 21-meters (which would be 68-11) and that's the goal for now" with the thought being that 21-meters would be in a good spot to make NCAA Indoors.
As it stands, Nkwonta moves up to 14th in the NCAA this season, and the top-16 will eventually qualify for nationals.
"I feel like with every throw there's a little more I can do. Every throw Coach Ninow is like 'you need to put in the entry more' or 'you need to finish better' so I know there's more room to improve," Nkwonta said.
The action on the track came to a premature ending. The top heat of the women's distance medley relay had to be halted midway through due to an official's error and will be re-run on Saturday at 5:05 p.m. between the women's and men's 4x400-meter relays.
In the 60-meter hurdles, redshirt freshman Ida Eikeng, competing unattached, came away with the win in an impressive PR of 8.20 seconds, which would rank as the second-fastest in school history if run in uniform. Sophomore Aaliyah Wilson was fifth in the finals and in the prelims, she lowered her PR for the second-straight meet, running 8.52 seconds to move up to No. 6 on the Husky top-10 list. Senior Darhian Mills also was second overall in the finals in 8.68, competing unattached.
The multi-events started the day off, with junior Parker Kennedy and freshman Ollie Thorner going through the first four events in the heptathlon, and junior Hannah Rusnak competing in the pentathlon.
Kennedy opened up with personal-bests in the 60-meter dash at 7.10 and then long jumped an indoor best of 21-8 1/4. But his greatest gains came in the shot put, where he tossed a PR of more than five feet, going 42-1 1/2. He then ended day one with a high jump make of 5-10 3/4, also a career-best.
Thorner started his first collegiate multi with a time of 7.25 in the 60-meters and then long jumped 20-11 3/4. After a shot put best of 36-5 1/2, Thorner had his best event, tying for the win in the high jump with a make of 6-feet, 7-inches.
Pac-12 heptathlon champion Rusnak was doing impressive work through four events but chose not to run the final 800-meters today. She had won the opening 60-meter hurdles in 8.55, and then had an indoor PR in the high jump of 5-4 1/4 and then took second in the shot put at 38-11 1/2. Rusnak then won the long jump with an indoor PR of 19-5 1/2 on her third jump, but that would be her final event today.
Junior Evan Mafilas took third overall in the 200-meter dash with a season-best time of 21.84, and senior Jason Palmer was eighth in a time of 22.26. On the women's side, Aaliyah Wilson had a big indoor PR of 25.04 to take fourth in her third race of the day, and Jelani Heath also PR'd in 25.48.
The first flights of the pole vault took place today, and a big highlight came from freshman Ashleigh Helms, who cleared 13-5 1/4 on a third attempt, after also getting a third-attempt make at 12-11 1/2. Helms had a high school best of 13-0 and had opened with a clearance of 12-6 two weeks ago, so the Bellevue native added nearly a half foot to her PR today.
Also in the women's weight, freshman Beatrice Asomaning improved her PR in her second outing, throwing 51-5 3/4 today.
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