Courtesy of Valerie Perkin/Air Force Athletics
EUGENE, Ore. – With a fourth-place finish in the hammer throw, Air Force junior Texas Tanner made history on Wednesday (June 11), when he became the first Falcon in 60 years to secure All-America honors in a men’s throwing event at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships – and the first Academy athlete to do so in that event.
Tanner sent the hammer flying 75.22 meters (246’9”) on his third attempt – a throw that guaranteed the junior a spot in the finals and, eventually, secured him a place on the podium and First-Team All-America distinction. Tanner, who vaulted into fourth with that third-round throw and maintained that placement throughout the finals, surpassed the 71-meter barrier on all five of his countable throws and finished the day with the second-best throw of his career and a mark just shy of his own Air Force, Service Academy, and Mountain West Record (75.83 meters).
With today’s performance, Tanner accounted for Air Force’s highest finish ever in a men’s throwing event at the NCAA Outdoor Championships and became just the second thrower to garner All-America honors, joining Bob Lambert, who finished sixth in the javelin throw at the 1965 championship meet.
Elsewhere at Hayward Field, freshman Brayden Richards opened competition in the decathlon and currently sits in 20th with 3788 points. Career-best marks in three events headlined the first day, as Richards clocked 10.95 in the 100-meter dash (872 points) and 49.35 in the 400-meter dash (845 points). While matching his personal-best clearance of 1.83 meters (6’0”) in the high jump for 653 points. A 757-point distance of 6.76 meters (22’2¼”) in the long jump and a 661-point throw of 12.89 meters (42’3½”) in the shot put completed the first five events for Richards.
Richards returns to action tomorrow (June 12) morning for the final day of competition in the decathlon, while Tanner will head back to Hayward Field on Friday (June 13) to compete in the discus throw.
