A Lloydminster Comprehensive High schooler is basking in the glory of the best hammer throw at his level in North America.
Grade 12’s Jake McEachern was in at the University of Oregon over the weekend of June 16-18 where he scored first place at the Nike Outdoor Nationals at the boys’ high school level with a throw of 233 feet.
While there is another Canadian who McEachern says is better than himself, that athlete is a year older and not in high school.
McEachern puts the achievement up to chance, even as he credits his coach Karl Meissner.
“I don’t know what the odds of this are, but there’s this man named Karl Meissner. He’s a phenomenal track coach. He had a roll down spot at the 2021 Olympics. He was the head throws coach for Team Canada at the World Junior Athletics Championships and also works at the Lloydminster Co-op. And he’s my coach. So, the odds of that happening are just ridiculous. But I’m extremely fortunate for them to work out in my favour.”
Meissner is also the head coach of the Lloydminster club – the Split City Sonics.
McEachern reflects on his achievement on American soil as a Canadian high schooler.
“It’s American high school nationals and I got first place with a throw of 233 feet. And if I were American – I’m Canadian they were making that joke. But if I were American, that would be the furthest throw by a high schooler in America this year.”
Next on the cards for the hammer thrower is a final shot at the trials to make Team Canada for the U20 Pan-American Games later this year.
Apart from that, he has signed on to Eastern Michigan University to pursue Kinesiology.