The 101st anniversary of the first Kansas Relays started Thursday and high school competition kicked off Friday in Lawrence. Some Show-Me State athletes performed spectacularly.
Cantwell Goes 62.60m/205-4 for Discus U.S. Sophomore National Record
Nixa sophomore Jackson Cantwell took to the discus ring in Lawrence a week after moving to 11th on the All-Time U.S. High School Shot Put list. At the 64th Licklider Relays (formerly Capital City Relays) in Jefferson City, Cantwell threw the shot 22.04m/72-3.75'' which also gave him 2024 U.S. #1 mark.
Cantwell also won the discus with a personal record toss of 60 meters/196-10. Both performances broke his godfather Russ Bell's meet records. Cantwell had bested Bell's high school personal record of 61-7.75 in the shot put a year ago but hadn't done so yet in the discus. Bell, the former Jefferson City High and Mizzou All-American became half of one of the great throwing duos in college with teammate Christian Cantwell, Jackson's father.
Bell won 3 straight Class 4A (of 4) discus state titles for Jefferson City High School. He won another in the shot put and helped the Jays to three straight state team trophies, In fact, he was part of a remarkable stretch of 5-straight state discus titles for the Jays and head coach Dennis Licklider and throws coach Dennis Vallandingham. Senior Gary Rice won the state title when Bell was a freshman. Then after Bell's three titles, sophomore Jon Lindquist followed with a 5th straight state title for JCHS. Bell graduated with the 4A and overall state meet record in the disc with a 188-6 mark as well as the overall state record of 202-11.
As a senior in 1999, Bell set the state record at Blue Springs Relays with a toss of 202-11. Bell went on to earn a top-2 finish at the USA Track and Field Junior Nationals in the discus and represented the U.S. at the Pan American Junior Games in Canada. Bell's Mizzou career included All-American finishes in the shot put, discus, weight throw, and hammer throw. He also returned to the gridiron after three years, playing defensive tackle for the Tigers during his last two years of college.
In Kansas Friday, Cantwell's second toss of 58.19m/190-11 was good enough to win the discus, but his fourth throw put him in the record books, again. Cantwell moved past his godfather Bell, to 5th on the Missouri MileSplit All-Time list, and every other U. S. high school sophomore ever. After going 60 meters last week, Cantwell launched a bomb of 62.60 meters or 205-4! Cantwell sits atop the All-Time American sophomore list and sits 2nd on the 2024 high school list among athletes in all classes.
Current shot put world record and Olympic Gold Medalist Ryan Crouser holds the high school discus record with a throw of 237-6/72.40 meters.
He takes to the ring this morning, looking to add the sophomore national record in the shot put. Last week's performance put him 2nd on the all-time 2nd-year prep list behind New Jersey's Nick Vena who threw 72-8 in 2011.
Harland Jumps to Outdoor PR
Macon's Caelan Harland continued his phenomenal 2024. The junior and two-time Class 3 pole vault state champion needed multiple attempts to clear each of the four bars he successfully jumped an outdoor personal record of 5.21m/17-1. His performance wasn't good enough for the win, however. The top vaulter in the country edged Harland.
Andover, Kansas senior Bryce Barkdull entered the meet with an outdoor season's best of 17-0.75 and an indoor year's best of 17-6.75 in a win at the Millrose Games in New York City. At Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence, Barkdull won the event with a PR and US#1 of 5.36m/17-7 clearance.
Harland set his overall personal record of 5.33m/17-5.75 indoors in February. His mark of 17-1 Friday puts him currently 5th in the country. He finished the indoor season 3rd on the national performance list with his 17-6 February mark.