Olympian Rudy Winkler Nearly Breaks Meet Record, But Earns Indoor Personal Best With 79 Feet 

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

The American record holder in the hammer throw and two-time Olympian Rudy Winkler opened the 114th Millrose Games on Thursday night at The Armory with an early indication of continued success in 2022. 

Winkler launched a new personal-best mark of 79 feet (24.09m) on his sixth and final throw in the throwing cage and missed the 2011 meet and facility records of 79-3.25 held by Jake Freeman by seven centimeters. 

The men's hammer was one of five field events held Thursday night due to space and time constraints with Saturday's busy schedule. 

JOHN NEPOLITAN PHOTOS | RESULTS | 114TH MILLROSE GAMES WEBCAST INFO

Erica Belvit of Jamaica won the women's weight throw with a personal-best mark of 65 feet (19.82m).

The best competition of the night came in the boys weight throw, where Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan of Woonsocket, R.I., and Michael Pinckney of New York City both tossed 25-pound weights over 80 feet and both achieved personal bests. 

Robinson-O'Hagan who came in with a US#1 ranking, briefly lost it when Pinckney connected on a third round throw of 81-2 (24.75m). Robinson-O'Hagan reclaimed it, also in the third round, with 82-3 (25.07m).

Those marks stood up throughout the competition as the two throwers fouled on their fifth and sixth attempts. 

Robinson-O'Hagan rose to No. 9 all-time with his best throw. Pinckney moved to No. 13 all-time.

According to Track and Field News HS editor Jack Shepard, it was the second time in history, and first time in 12 years, that two throwers surpassed 80 feet in the same meet. At the 2010 National Scholastic Indoor Championships, also at the Armory, Alec Faldermeyer threw 84-9.75 to win and Justin Welch threw 83-7.25 for second. 

Katherine Powers of Hopkinton, Mass., won the girls weight throw with a US#6 mark of 48-1 (14.66m), matching her best throw of the season. 

Colton Rhodes made the trip to New York from Texas and won the Flying Circus Boys Pole Vault with a clearnace at 16-2.75 (4.95m). After securing the win, Rhodes passed at 16-6.75 and had the bar raised to PR height of 16-10.75 (5.15m), but missed three times. Rhodes is ranked US#5.