Prep track notes: Angel Nkwonta out to defend state title in shot put
Angel Nkwonta sees the bigger picture even if she doesn’t see the bigger number.
The Pullman senior hopes to defend her State 2A championship in the shot put.
“Last year at this time I wasn’t throwing as well,” said Nkwonta, who has signed to throw at the University of Washington. “This year I’m more consistent with my throws.”
She points to the Pasco Invite where she defended her title two weeks ago. She won last year with a throw of 40 feet. This year she won with 42-7.
It’s not where she hopes to be – something in the neighborhood of 45-0 is where she’d like to finish – but she’s content with the journey.
Nkwonta would like to break the school record, but she would have to really unleash one to reach 46-8¾, set by Lisa Merrill, a high school All-American, in 1985.
There’s hope. Nkwonta’s personal best came last year at the district meet when she hit 44-10.
“She’s a very gifted athlete,” coach Mike Hinz said.
Nkwonta has done an odd combination of events. In addition to the shot put, she runs the 100 meters, 200 and a leg on the 400 relay.
She won’t do the sprints in college. But in high school, the events have helped her speed and thrust in the ring.
Hinz’s area of expertise is the shot put.
“We’re still working to get what we call separation,” Hinz said. “We want her to get the axis of the hips rotated ahead of the axis of the shoulders. In essence we want her hips to be in position before the shoulders so she can add more momentum to the ball with her lower torso. If the shoulders are ahead you lose the ability to add the turning of the torso to the momentum of the throw.”
She won other medals at state last spring. She took second in the 100, third as part of the 400 relay and fourth in the 200.
As a sophomore, she won three medals including third in the shot. As a freshman she captured two medals including second in the shot.
Nkwonta’s parents were born in eastern Nigeria. She was born in the United States.
Her mother is a lab director at Pullman Regional Hospital, but will move her family to Hagerstown, Maryland, at the end of June to work in a hospital there.
Angel will make the move east before heading to Seattle.
She wants to be a physical therapist. She’s not sure if she wants to work with the elderly or athletes.
This ‘n that
There were all sorts of personal bests at the 53rd Mooberry Relays last Saturday.
Gonzaga Prep hurdler Nick Johnson, in just his third 300 race this spring, broke the Bullpups’ record, winning in a time of 38.48 seconds despite knocking over two of the final three hurdles and stuttering over the final hurdle.
Johnson, who plans to sign with Washington State University to be a decathlete, broke the record (39.4) set by his coach, Matt Blaine, in 2000.
“I definitely have room to improve my finish,” said Johnson, who holds the school record (14.11) in the 110 hurdles.
- The foursome of Justin Janke, Hank Knight, Ash Ruff and Jacob Christner of North Central combined to win the distance medley in a time of 10:24.36 – 22 seconds faster than they ran at Pasco the week before.
Kirk Unland of Ferris put up an impressive mark in the hammer, an event that isn’t sanctioned for state competition but is held infrequently at different meets. His winning throw of 207 feet, 3 inches – a personal best by 27 feet and a meet record by 19 feet.
Samson Brown led Mead to the boys title at Mooberry. He timed 10.94 in the 100 and won the triple jump with a personal best 43-4½.
Anne Hockett of Oakesdale won the 300 hurdles in a personal best 47.36, beating Zella Conley of Mead.