The Weber State men’s track and field team began its outdoor season at the UVU Invitational on March 27, where Wyatt Larkins set a new school record in the hammer throw with a mark of 216 feet, 8.5 inches.
Larkins’ performance places him ninth nationally in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rankings and first in the Big Sky Conference. His throw is also recognized as the sixth best mark ever recorded in Big Sky history.
Head coach Corbin Talley said, “It’s fun to watch Wyatt. He is focused and such a great competitor.”
Freshman Tyler Warnick also made headlines by setting a freshman record and securing sixth place all-time for Weber State in the long jump with a leap of 24 feet, 9.75 inches. Warnick’s jump earned him first place at the meet, surpassing second place by nearly a foot. Talley said, “The tailwind was just barely legal, but will put him in a spot that possibly makes the NCAA first round.”
Other notable performances included Ethan Ecker achieving eighth all-time for Weber State in javelin with his throw of 212 feet, 10.25 inches and Malik Johnson taking ninth all-time for Weber State in the 110-meter hurdles with his time of 14.30 seconds.
Carson Day finished first in the men’s 5,000 meter run with a time of 15:11.11. Talley said, “I thought Carson ran particularly gritty in the 5,000 meter victory. He showed some real poise and toughness in the final laps.” The Wildcats saw several personal records throughout their opening meet.
“We have a lot of work in front of us, but it’s a great start and we’re excited to see what we can accomplish with this group in the coming months,” Talley said.
Looking ahead, Weber State will compete next at Stanford University during the Stanford Invitational on April 3-4.
