A pair of Western Wyoming athletes, Gage Gose of Lander Valley, and Colby Jenks of Big Piney put the Cowboy State on the map last weekend at the Arcadia Invitational Track Meet in Arcadia, California with a pair of first-place finishes.
Gose won the 300-meter hurdles in a new Lander High School record time of 37.29 and is on pace the challenge the overall state record in the event set by Joey Czellez of Kelly Walsh in 2014.
The state record time of 37.04 was set at the state meet on his home track nine years ago. All Wyoming track records must be set at the state meet.
Gose also ran 14.31 in the 110-meter high hurdles, finishing fifth overall while winning his heat. Both marks break his own Tiger records.
The 110-meter hurdle race was won by Davis Davis-Lyric of Upland, California in 13.85.
In Class 3-A his times in both hurdle events have already eclipsed the existing record holders of Justin Cross of Powell with a 37.96 in 2007 and Kyle Sullivan, also of Powell with a 14.35 in 2011.
Jenks is the current Class 2-A record holder in the 800-meter run with a first-place finish last year in 1:55.59.
Jenks started his career at Wind River, competing at the state meet in his freshman and sophomore year. He won the 1600 and the sprint medley relay with teammates Remington Herbert, Charles Dillon, and Jaycee Herbert in 2021 as a Cougar.
His father Charles took the superintendent position at Big Piney and Colby became a Puncher.
In 2022 he won the 1600, and 300-meter hurdles and finished second in the 400-meter dash in a photo finish.
Jenks time of 1:52.18 in the 800-meter run set a new Arcadia Invitational record.
Improvement for both athletes should continue since Gose hit the number six hurdle hard in his winning performance and Jenks was cut off at the bell, breaking his strike. Jenks came out of the corner in fourth place but kicked to an easy win by the tape.
Gose is currently ranked 9th in America in the 300-meter hurdles, and 31st in the 110-meter high hurdles.
Jenks is ranked 19th overall in the nation in the 800-meter run.
Both athletes competed in cross country last fall, a sport not suited to their skill set, but both were competitive. Gose ran for Lander and Jenks competed for Jackson Hole.
