Skyler Porcaro launches the throw that took the name of Anthony Miles out of the 4A state record books. Photo by Jeff Porcaro.
Before Thursday, the 2012 Utah outdoor season, though still in its infancy, had already been a great season for javelin marks. At least ten guys had already pitched the javelin out beyond 160 feet, several of them beyond 170 feet. You had the sense that something was going to give sooner or later.
It just gave.
Skyler Porcaro of Maple Mountain heaved the javelin a whopping 189-3 at the Herriman Invitational on Thursday. When the implement fell to the earth, it took something else with it--the Utah 4A classification record of 189-1, previously set by Provo's Anthony Miles in 2009.
Curiously, the all-classification mark in Utah belongs to Austen Jorgensen of North Sanpete, a 3A school. Jorgensen's 2006 mark went 195-5.
But, the way things are headed this spring, none of the classification marks should be breathing easily. We may not have witnessed the end of the record breaking for this spring.
For those new to the javelin, it's worth noting that the weighting of the implement was changed following the 2001 season, per national and international rules. Javelin throws were getting to the point where it was no longer possible to hold contests inside a conventional track and field stadium, so the implement was altered in order to produce shorter throws. Using the old implements, the Utah state marks were well into the 200s of feet.