Lake Washington WA Senior Breaks 38-Year-Old National Record By Two Inches, Highlighting GLS' Seven Event Wins Over Three-Day Invitational

By Hoby Miller for DyeStat

Luca Gilllis PHOTOS

INTERVIEWS | RESULTS/VIDEOS

The final day of the Spokane High School Invitational saw the crowning of a new high school record holder.

Yehven Zhmailo (Lake Washington WA) of GLS Speed Track Club leapt 52 feet, 9.50 inches (16.09m) in the boys triple jump, two inches further than the previous record set in 1988 by Keith Holley, on Sunday at The Podium.

But despite just clinching a high school record, the Oklahoma commit was remarkably business-like during his post-event interview.

“It feels good. It feels like we can go farther and farther every meet,” Zhmailo said. “So… great day, PR.”

Zhmailo has competed in four jumps events across two indoor meets in Spokane in 2026 and cruised to first place in all four, including yesterday's long jump. The senior confirmed he aims to best Kenny Hall's absolute mark of 54-10.25 (16.72m).

Across from the other pit, GLS teammate Laine McKenzie (Cedarcrest WA) also cleaned up in the girls triple jump with a US#4 leap of 41-5 (12.62m) after a long jump victory on Saturday.

“Other than pushing them every day, it's really nothing I’m saying,” GLS’ head jumps coach Alanna Coker said about the success of Zhmailo and McKenzie. ”It’s just adding fuel to the fire at practice and at meets.”

A three-time Washington state champ in her own right, Coker attributed a lot of her athletes’ success to their hard work and leadership at the club.

“They’ve learned a lot, so they get to teach other kids everything they’ve learned,” Coker said. “Its really nice to have that top level on both (boys and girls sides) and for other kids to enjoy and experience that.”

GLS left the invitational with six US top 10 marks and seven individual event victories, with four of them coming from Zhmailo and McKenzie in the jumps.

Fresh off a 4x200 relay national record for GLS on Saturday, Sutton Flint (Liberty-Issaquah WA) and Dionysus So-Gilmore (Seattle Academy WA) looked poised to take home a 1-2 finish in the boys 200, but Flint pulled up grabbing his hamstring with 50 meters to go. Nevertheless, So-Gilmore claimed the win in 21.23 for a personal best and a US#7 mark.

Aster Jones (Roosevelt OR) of Impact Athletics was back in action with another win on Sunday, taking the girls 200m after a 60 win yesterday. After dashing to a US#3 on Saturday, Jones collected another top five time with a US#4 23.51 in the 200, just ahead of teammate Pharalynn Dickson (South Albany OR), ran a personal best 24.04.

Both the boys and girls weight throw events brought surprises as Corynn Smith (Desert Christian CA) and Ashton Daly (Loveland CO) upset higher ranked opposition with massive personal records.

Two weeks ago at the Spokane High School Preview, Smith snagged second place in the girls weight throw with a heave of 51-3.75 (15.64m) but came up short of Kimberly Beard’s (King's WA) mark of 55-3.50 (16.85m). 

Back at The Podium today, Smith tossed a US#6 56-0 (17.07m) to win the weight throw— improving over four feet in just two weeks — and tossing four throws further than Beard’s 54-1 (16.48m) in second place.

On the boys side, Daly of Hustle Track Club launched a four-foot personal best of 67-5.25 (20.55m) with his final throw, taking the virtual lead of the event from yesterday’s shot put victor Riley McGrath (Galatin MT). In his final throw with the event on the line, McGrath also tossed a personal-best 67-2 (20.47) but came up just three inches short and would have to settle for second.

Sunday’s invitational track events finished up with the miles. Owen Thiel (Glacier MT) of Mission Mountain Mercury won the boys race comfortably in 4:14.88, beating out the meet’s 800 and 3,000 champions Findlay Hartshorn (Bear Creek WA, 800) and Clayton Jero (Summit OR, 3,000), who finished the miles in personal best times of 4:18.42 and 4:18.46, respectively.

Sophomore Eleanor Wyatt (West Linn OR) ran 5:07.84 for first place in the girls mile.

Nathan Moller (Palmer Ridge CO) of Colorado United Track Club jumped a personal best 6-9.50 (2.07m) to win the boys high jump and Ava Ballek (St. Albert, AB, Canada) of St Albert Mustangs T&F took the girls high jump in 5-3.25 (1.61m).