STEVE CARPENTER
HutchCC Sports Information
LEVELLAND, Texas - Hutchinson Community College sophomore high jumper Wyatt Thiel had a historic day on Day 2 of the NJCAA Men’s Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships at South Plains College.
When Thiel cleared 6 feet, 6 inches, that became the first time in three national championships – either indoor or outdoor – that he cleared his opening height.
The other element to Thiel’s big day was the fact that he and teammate Zach Biel both tied for sixth in the event and earned third-team NJCAA All-America honors.
The Blue Dragon high jumpers became the 44th and 45th Blue Dragon All-Americans in the high jump. There were only six jumpers who cleared opening height.
Both Blue Dragon jumpers made 6-6 on their final attempt.
The combined five points scored by Thiel and Biel mean the Blue Dragons are tied for 10th place after two days with 13 points. Hutchinson has just one competitor going in Thursday’s final day. That is Teagan Flanagan in the men’s 5,000 meters.
Flanagan was the 10,000-meter NJCAA Runner-up on Tuesday. Because of timing issued, the official times weren’t posted until Wednesday. Flanagan broke the school record in the event with a time of 30:44.63.