Two local college hammer throwers break school records

The state of Oregon treated local hammer throwers well this past Saturday.

Kirby Neale, a Saint Martin’s University senior, broke a school record in the women’s hammer throw at the John Knight Twilight meet at Western Oregon University in Monmouth, Oregon. She recorded a throw of 183 feet 6 inches (55.93 meters) to win the event.

Neale’s throw topped the University of Oregon’s Madeline Middlebrooks by 6 inches, and is the second-best mark in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference this season.

The throw also met the national provisional mark, and is the 15th-best throw in Division II this year. Neale was named the GNAC player of the week in women’s field events on Monday.

“The meet’s highlight for SMU track and field was Neale’s throw in the hammer, breaking the school record and national provisional mark,” SMU coach Jim Brewer said in a release. “Coach (Dwight) Midles has been doing a phenomenal job with our hammer throwers, and we are very fortunate to have him.”

Further north at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, Ali Mackey reset her own school record in the women’s hammer throw.

The Evergreen State College sophomore tossed the hammer 99-3 1/4 (30.25) — improving on her record earlier this season by more than 4 feet — at the Pacific Luau meet to finish seventh.

Zeb Hoffman, who is a senior at Evergreen State and the defending National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics hammer throw champion, won the men’s competition after uncorking a throw of 194-5 (59.25).

RAAB NAMED MEN’S GOLFER OF THE WEEK

SMU’s Andrew Raab, a junior from Yakima, was named the GNAC men’s golf player of the week on Monday following a 4-under-par performance at the Western New Mexico Mustang Intercollegiate tournament.

Raab tied for seventh and was the top GNAC finisher in the field. He shot 71 (1-under par) in the first and third rounds, and 70 (2 under) in the second round to finish the tournament at 212.

‘TRACKTOWN’ FILM COMING TO OLYMPIA

The Capital City Marathon Association announced Sunday that it will host a presentation of the indie-comedy film “Tracktown” as part of its activities on race weekend.

The semi-autobiographical film, which stars Olympian long-distance runner Alexi Pappas, will be shown at the Capitol Theater at 6:30 p.m. on May 19. Another former Olympian runner, Jeff Galloway, who headlined the Capital City Marathon last year, will introduce the film.

The show is open to the public for $10. Athletes registered for this year’s Capital City Marathon, half-marathon and 5-mile race are eligible for a $5 discount. Advance tickets can be purchased from the Olympia Film Society.

“We’re excited to give this community, which has always embraced running, an opportunity to see this well-reviewed movie,” race director Nona Snell said in a statement. “It will be a wonderful way for runners to relax and unwind before Sunday’s races.”

The film follows distance runner Plumb Marigold as she prepares for the Olympic Trials. Marigold is based on Pappas, who ran for Dartmouth College and competed in the 10,000 meters for Greece at the Rio Olympics in 2016. The film is not yet rated.

“Tracktown” will be released in select theaters on May 12. The 36th annual Capital City Marathon is May 21.

This story was originally published April 10, 2017 at 4:04 PM with the headline "Two local college hammer throwers break school records."