Vikings record strong performances at Vernacchia Track & Field Meet

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Photo: WWU Athletics

BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University men’s and women’s track & field program hosted the 38th Annual Ralph Vernacchia Track & Field Meet on Saturday at Civic Stadium in Bellingham.

The Vikings recorded 10 event victories and recorded four new entries into the program record book to highlight the competition on Saturday.

Freshman sprinter Karlington Anunagba made his collegiate debut in the 200m, finishing 2nd out of 35 runners in 21.68. The time is 3rd-fastest in WWU history tailing only 20.93 by Alex Donigian (2016) and 21.4 by Marc Hill (1994). The mark is 2nd-fastest in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference this season.

Junior Ed Kiolbasa finished 2nd in the 5,000m Invitational in 14:47.71, setting a personal best and recording the 10th-best time in WWU history.

Junior Amanda Short set a personal best and moved into a tie for 8th in WWU history as the top collegiate finisher in the women’s javelin invitational. Short threw 47.62m/156-3 to place behind former Viking All-Americans Katie Reichert (48.36m/158-8) and Bethany Drake (47.97m/157-4). Short now has the top mark by a Viking javelin thrower this season to rank No. 6 in NCAA Division II. Five WWU javelin throwers have recorded an NCAA II provisional qualifying mark this season, all ranking in the top 25 nationally.

Sophomore Devon Olson placed 3rd in the triple jump with a top mark of 11.10m/36-5 to enter the WWU all-time top-10 in the No. 10 spot.

Senior Daniel Jones set a pair of personal-bests in the 200m (22.22) and 400m (50.64).

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