Dan McKim is continuing stamp his brand on top heavy events competitions and over the weekend he added a victory at the Texas Highland Games to his considerable winnings; Francis Brebner called the action for IronMind.


2011 Texas Highland Games:  Big Three Slugfest
by Francis Brebner
 
Big Guns were blazing at the Texas Highland Games in Arlington this past weekend as A-list pros Sean Betz, Dan McKim and Mike Pockoski went head to head.

With more than ten thousand spectators watching, the heavy events exploded with big numbers thrown, which is inevitable whenever these three big heavies are throwing, and their performances were a clear indication that we can expect this standard throughout the rest of the season.  New Hampshire, the premier setting for this year IHGF World Championships, will be the climax, and we can’t wait to see the gunpowder ignited by these top athletes as they are joined by nine others from around the world, which will definitely push up the marks even more.
 
In the 26-lb. Braemar stone, McKim took his first win with a distance of 42’ 2”.  In second place was Betz with 41’ 11-3/4”, and in third place Ryan Stuart with 39’ 4”.
 
The 17-lb. open stone followed and Betz got the edge this time over McKim with a put of 51’ 4”, leaving McKim in second at 50’ 2” and Pockoski hot on his heels at 49’10”.
 
The 56-lb. weight for distance was very close, with Pockoski this time moving up a gear to snatch the win with a throw of 42’.  In a very close second place was Betz at 41’ 7”, with Chad Gustin in third place at 40’ 11”.
 
The 22-lb. hammer was a slugfest between the top three.  Pockoski’s concluding throw showed us why he is the world’s number one hammer thrower as he executed a magnificent and masterful throw of 118’ 8” for the win.  Betz had a superb throw as well—114’ 9”—for second, and McKim landed in third at 113’.
 
The slugfest did not stop there as our three amigos soldiered on with 16-lb. hammer.  This time it was McKim who lashed out a distance of 144’ 10” for the win over Betz, who placed in a solid second spot with 142’.  Pockoski came in third place at 139’ 10”.
 
In the 28-lb. weight-for-distance, McKim notched his third win of the weekend with a distance of 83’, followed by Betz in second at 82’ and Pockoski in third at 81’.
 
Pockoski won the 22-lb. sheaf toss at a height of 32’, leaving Betz in second on countback.  In third was McKim at 28’.
 
The final event of the Texas Highland Games—the 56-lb. weight-over-the-bar—was won by McKim at a height of 17’; in a tie for second place were Betz and Pockoski at 16’.
 
Overall placings:
 
1.  Dan McKim
2.  Sean Betz
3.  Mike Pockoski
4.  Chad Gustin

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