EUGENE, Ore. — Utah's Burklie Burton delivered one of the finest performances in American junior throwing history this weekend, placing fourth in the women's hammer throw at the World Athletics U20 Championships.
Burton, a native of Layton and a rising sophomore at Oklahoma State University, recorded a best throw of 67.50 meters in the final to secure her place among the world's elite young throwers.
The performance capped a remarkable championship for Burton, who announced herself as one of the top U20 hammer throwers in American history during the qualifying round. There, she unleashed a lifetime-best throw of 68.03 meters, a mark that ranks second on the all-time U.S. U20 list and missed the American record by just 0.09 meters (3.5 inches).
Burton's success in Eugene continues what has already been a breakthrough season. Earlier this year, she represented Oklahoma State at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, where she also earned a fourth-place finish against some of the nation's top collegiate athletes.
Competing against the world's best athletes under the age of 20 while representing Team USA, Burton once again demonstrated why she is considered one of the nation's brightest young talents.