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Gonzaga University Athletics

College track and field: Whitworth’s Andrew Bloom wins national title in men’s javelin

Whitworth’s Andrew Bloom won the men’s javelin title as the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships completed their three-day run in Waverly, Iowa, on Saturday.

Bloom’s first attempt of six sailed 208 feet, 8 inches to produce a narrow win over Northwest Conference rival Seth Nonnenmacher of George Fox, who threw 206-1.

The final javelin results were adjusted at the conclusion of the event following a protest that three of the 20 competitors had used illegal spikes. The adjusted results placed Bloom first.

Whitworth’s Cooper Budden placed eighth in the event at 197-8.

The Pirates’ Kerry Wright, the defending national champion, placed fourth in women’s javelin at 145-2 1/2.

Whitworth’s men finished in a tie for seventh place with 23 points.

Arizona junior Aaron Castle (Newport High) placed sixth in the men’s shot put as the NCAA Division I West Regional wrapped up three days in Lawrence, Kansas.

Castle threw 62 feet, 1 3/4 inches to advance to the national meet that starts June 8 in Eugene.

No other Washington State athletes qualified for nationals. The Cougars will take men’s hurdler CJ Allen, decathlete Dino Dodig and women’s high jumper/heptathlete Liz Harper to nationals.

Gonzaga senior Maggie Jones finished eighth in her 5,000-meter heat in 16 minutes, 43.62 seconds and didn’t advance. GU has advanced women’s 3,000 steeplechaser Shelby Mills to nationals.