Triple Jump Record-Breaker Returns To The Podium; Sprinters Aster Jones, Eddie Bruner Jr. Bring National Rankings To Spokane

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Ken Martinez Photo

Yevhen Zhmailo, one of the breakout high school stars of the indoor track and field season, will return to runway where he broke the 38-year-old national high school record in the triple jump when he comes back to The Podium for the STCU West Coast Indoor Championships. 

Zhmailo, who jumped 52-9.50 on Jan. 25 at the Spokane High School Invitational, broke the long-standing indoor record by two inches. 

The senior who competes for GLS Speed Track Club is entered in the long jump as well as triple jump. 

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The West Coast Indoor Championships begins Friday afternoon and runs through Sunday and it includes many of the top high school athletes in the Northwest competing on the one and only banked 200-meter oval in the Pacific time zone of the U.S. 

Oregon state sprint champion Aster Jones of Impact Athletics (Roosevelt), the defending champion in the 200 meters, is ranked US#6 in both the 60 meters (7.37) and 200 meters (23.51).

Eddie Bruner Jr of GLS Speed (Lincoln WA) is one of the top 400-meter runners in the county and is US#8 at 47.39 seconds. Bruner is also entered in the 200 and will face strong compeition from Auralleus Hicks and Dionysus So-Gilmore. 

Joseph Donnelly of the Inner Circle Track Club is the returning champion in the 60 meters and US#9 at 6.75 seconds. 

Luke Barrick of Willamette Valley Striders (Onalaska WA) has cleared 17 feet this winter and is US#5. 

Oregon state record holder Addison Kleinke is entered in both the pole vault and long jump. 

The boys distance races will bring together some of the top performers from NXR Northwest, including individual champion Cohen Butler (Camas WA) and Jesuit OR senior Kellen Williams. Both are entered in the mile and the 3,000 meters. Dylan Rowell (Anacortes WA) is another threat in the 3,000. 

Ellery Lincoln of Lincoln OR is entered in the girls 800 and will face Annabelle Carr of Coeur d'Alene ID.

Kimberly Beard is the top entry in the weight throw, where she is US#9, and is also in the shot put. 

Sloan Dickson (Lynden WA) faces a competitive field in the girls 3,000 meters and will race Sasha Dehal. In the mile, Dickson faces sub-five miler Jaycee Jenkins.

A high quality boys 800 meters features Hugh Meyer, Paul Hretcanu and Findlay Hartshorn. 

Alexia Latore, coming down from British Columbia, tops the entries in the girls 400. 

Laine McKenzie (Cedarcrest WA) leads the entries in the girls long jump and triple jump.