FOREST GROVE, ORE. -- David Oppat (Jr., Beaverton, OR/Southridge HS) of Willamette University placed second in the discus and was fourth in the shot put, as he achieved personal records in both events at the Pacific Twilight on Saturday, May 1. Six WU athletes competed in throwing events during the meet.
Oppat's top throw in the discus went 154' 0" and allowed him to edge out Jason Slowey of Western Oregon University for second in the final standings. Slowey recorded a toss of 152' 5" to take third place. Erik Kuster from Concordia University (Ore.) won the event with a throw of 164' 1".
In the shot put, Oppat registered a toss of 50' 6.75". Slowey won the event with a distance of 51' 9".
Junior Velasquez of Mount Hood Community College was second at 51' 6.25" and Eric Whalen from Concordia was third at 50' 10.75". Josh Clothier (Jr., Walla Walla, WA/Walla Walla HS) of Willamette was sixth at 49' 2.25".
Trevor Bassett-Smith (Sr., Keizer, OR/McNary HS/Western Oregon Univ.) provided the Bearcats with third place in the men's hammer. Bo Johnson of Concordia took first with a toss of 177' 7". Mitch Wheelhouse of Eastern Oregon University placed second at 171' 10", followed by Bassett-Smith at 171' 3". Steve Collins (Sr., Zillah, WA/Zillah HS) of WU placed seventh with a distance of 159' 1".
Willamette's Christina Edholm (Sr., Pleasanton, CA/Foothill HS) placed fifth in the women's shot put. Her best throw of the meet covered 38' 10.5". The winning throw of 42' 7.5" was earned by Kelsey Strot of Mount Hood CC.
Strot won by 5.5 inches. Second place went to unattached athlete Anne Barnett, who achieved a throw of 42' 2". Gabriella Dixson from Concordia was third at 42' 0.75".
The Bearcats will host the WU Multi-Event Meet on Sunday, May 2 and Monday, May 3. Action is set to get underway at the Charles Bowles Track at 1 p.m. (PDT) each day.
David Oppat set a pair of personal records while taking second in the discus and fourth in the shot put.
