SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - Justin Willingham won the shot put in record-breaking fashion to highlight the final day of the 2024 Big West Championships for the UC Irvine men's track & field team Saturday at Miller & Capriotti Athletics Complex.
 
Willingham is the Anteaters' third Big West men's shot put champion in the last four years. He saved his best for last, throwing for over 60 feet on all three of his attempts in the final. Willingham took the lead from teammate Jacob Hawkins with a toss of 18.43 meters (60-5.75) in the fourth round. He saw a slight improvement in the next round before breaking his own school record at 18.74m (61-5.75) on his final throw. It was the fourth time this season that Willingham set the program standard.
 
Hawkins, who claimed the conference title in the discus on Friday, was the runner-up with a personal-record 17.90m (58-8.75). He is now tied for fourth on UCI's all-time charts.   
 
Kenechukwu Okonkwo earned UC Irvine's first points of the day with a sixth-place finish in the triple jump. He registered a best of 14.86 meters (48-9).
 
Jake Reed cleared a personal-record 4.72 meters (15-5.75) to take sixth in the pole vault.
 
On the track, Drew Pickett was fourth in the 110m hurdle final, clocking in at 13.97 seconds. Jarel Sayles added a point as he came in eighth (14.31).
 
The quartet of Ashton Fegel, Josh Farmer, Bryce Bushnell and Ty Sheridan also combined for a season-best 3:11.20 to place fifth in the 4x400 relay.
 
As a team, the 'Eaters came in fifth with 89 points. Host Cal Poly won its first conference championship with 185 points.