Friday, February 7
Lynchburg, Va.
1:00 PM ET
Liberty University
vs
Liberty Open
Kellen Kimes
Kimes Shatters Liberty Men’s Weight Throw Record
2/7/2025 9:06:00 PM | Track and Field
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Redshirt freshman Kellen Kimes stole the show on a light day of activity for the home team, Friday at the Liberty Open. His winning weight throw of 70-5.75 broke the program record by more than two feet.
Kimes was one of two event victors for the Flames during the meet's opening day at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex. Parker Goldstein cleared a season-best 5-0.25 to take top honors in section B of the women's high jump.
Men's Day 1 Recap
Kimes dominated the men's weight throw competition, winning by more than 14 feet and heaving each of his last four attempts past the 20-meter arc. The native of Ludington, Mich., unleashed his 70-5.75 effort in round five. That was sandwiched by a 66-3.75 in round three, a 66-2.5 in round four and a 69-2.75 on his sixth and final effort.
Kimes took down the Liberty record of 68-4.5 achieved by John Hicks while winning the 2024 CUSA title. He also obliterated his own Liberty freshman standard of 62-5 set at last month's Virginia Tech Invitational.
Kimes' mark ranks No. 1 in CUSA in 2025 and No. 1 nationally among freshmen. Only 27 NCAA Division I men's weight throwers had posted marks better than Kimes' 70-5.75 this season, entering the weekend.
Prior to last year's Liberty Open, Jon Hart had held the Liberty men's weight throw record of 66-6.5 for 16 years. It has now been eclipsed four times by three different throwers since then. Hicks threw a then record 67-1.25 at the 2024 Liberty Open, but his mark was broken six days later by Desmond Coleman's 68-0.5 effort at the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational. Hicks reclaimed the record with his CUSA-winning 68-4.5 toss before Kimes became the Flames' first member of the 70-foot club on Friday.
A week after scoring a personal-best 5,224 points to win the Penn State National Open heptathlon, Gabriel Willis excelled in his only event on Friday. He pole vaulted a personal-best 14-7.25 to claim second place in Section B.
Liberty's only running event athlete to compete on the day, Graham Mussmon came in seventh out of 50 competitors in the men's 1,000, crossing the finish line in 2:33.01.
Competing unattached, Liberty's Markus White closed out the evening with a personal-best 24-11.25 leap, claiming victory in the men's long jump.
Women's Day 1 Recap
Goldstein earned a victory in the meet's first event to wrap up, section B of the women's high jump. She cleared each of her first three heights on first attempt, culminating with a season-best 5-0.25.
Men's Day 1 Event Winners
Kellen Kimes – Weight Throw – 70-5.75
Women's Day 1 Event Winners
Parker Goldstein – High Jump Section B – 5-0.25
Men's Day 1 Record Breakers
Liberty Record – Weight Throw – Kellen Kimes – 70-5.75
Previous Record: 68-4.5 by John Hicks at the CUSA Championship on Feb. 23, 2024
Liberty Freshman Record – Weight Throw – Kellen Kimes – 70-5.75
Previous Record: 62-5 by Kimes at the Virginia Tech Invitational on Jan. 17
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
Weight Throw – No. 1 – Kellen Kimes – 70-5.75
Up Next
The Liberty Open will wrap up on Saturday with a busy day of activity. The men's shuttle hurdles relay will get things started at 9:10 a.m.
Kimes was one of two event victors for the Flames during the meet's opening day at the Brant Tolsma Indoor Track at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex. Parker Goldstein cleared a season-best 5-0.25 to take top honors in section B of the women's high jump.
Men's Day 1 Recap
Kimes dominated the men's weight throw competition, winning by more than 14 feet and heaving each of his last four attempts past the 20-meter arc. The native of Ludington, Mich., unleashed his 70-5.75 effort in round five. That was sandwiched by a 66-3.75 in round three, a 66-2.5 in round four and a 69-2.75 on his sixth and final effort.
Kimes took down the Liberty record of 68-4.5 achieved by John Hicks while winning the 2024 CUSA title. He also obliterated his own Liberty freshman standard of 62-5 set at last month's Virginia Tech Invitational.
Kimes' mark ranks No. 1 in CUSA in 2025 and No. 1 nationally among freshmen. Only 27 NCAA Division I men's weight throwers had posted marks better than Kimes' 70-5.75 this season, entering the weekend.
Prior to last year's Liberty Open, Jon Hart had held the Liberty men's weight throw record of 66-6.5 for 16 years. It has now been eclipsed four times by three different throwers since then. Hicks threw a then record 67-1.25 at the 2024 Liberty Open, but his mark was broken six days later by Desmond Coleman's 68-0.5 effort at the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational. Hicks reclaimed the record with his CUSA-winning 68-4.5 toss before Kimes became the Flames' first member of the 70-foot club on Friday.
A week after scoring a personal-best 5,224 points to win the Penn State National Open heptathlon, Gabriel Willis excelled in his only event on Friday. He pole vaulted a personal-best 14-7.25 to claim second place in Section B.
Liberty's only running event athlete to compete on the day, Graham Mussmon came in seventh out of 50 competitors in the men's 1,000, crossing the finish line in 2:33.01.
Competing unattached, Liberty's Markus White closed out the evening with a personal-best 24-11.25 leap, claiming victory in the men's long jump.
Women's Day 1 Recap
Goldstein earned a victory in the meet's first event to wrap up, section B of the women's high jump. She cleared each of her first three heights on first attempt, culminating with a season-best 5-0.25.
Men's Day 1 Event Winners
Kellen Kimes – Weight Throw – 70-5.75
Women's Day 1 Event Winners
Parker Goldstein – High Jump Section B – 5-0.25
Men's Day 1 Record Breakers
Liberty Record – Weight Throw – Kellen Kimes – 70-5.75
Previous Record: 68-4.5 by John Hicks at the CUSA Championship on Feb. 23, 2024
Liberty Freshman Record – Weight Throw – Kellen Kimes – 70-5.75
Previous Record: 62-5 by Kimes at the Virginia Tech Invitational on Jan. 17
Day 1 Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
Weight Throw – No. 1 – Kellen Kimes – 70-5.75
Up Next
The Liberty Open will wrap up on Saturday with a busy day of activity. The men's shuttle hurdles relay will get things started at 9:10 a.m.
Players Mentioned
Throws
/ Track and Field
High Jump
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Decathlon
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