An Official Announcement.

In March of 2003, I picked up the weight for the first time at Weight-A-Rama at Brown University. On March 11, 2011, I picked up the weight for the final time. I am officially announcing my retirement from the weight throw (he said with a grin from the Sun to Pluto... and for you young ones, Pluto used to be a planet). I have been waiting for this day for years to finally come and pass. I am overjoyed that I will never have to pick up that demon child event ever again! I thought I would write a short summary of my career in the weight throw and then print a copy out and burn it in the fireplace. :). SO without further adieu, I present to you the history of the Walter Henning weight throw experience, please do not enjoy.

2003 (8th Grade): I picked up the 25lb weight in a feeble attempt to qualify for the high school national championships at Weight-a-rama at Brown University in Providence, R.I. I threw the 25lb weight about 38'...I think. It could be 34 feet but I really do not remember. (I did not qualify for Nationals).

2004 (9th Grade): I threw a personal best of 56'6.50" to break the Freshman National Class Record in the 25lb weight throw. However, it was not recognized because it was not attached to a meet that had running events. Oh well. At the National Championships I placed....11th? and did not make the finals. (This was the last time I failed to qualify for a final in a hammer/weight throw meet.)

2005 (10th Grade): I threw a personal best with the 25lb weight of 75'0.5" to break the Sophomore National Class Record that stood since 1974! and the New York State Record. Since there were two Indoor High School National Championships, and most weight throwers competed in both, I placed 4th at the Nike Indoor Nationals in Baltimore and I won my first National Championship in the 25lb weight throw the next day at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships with a throw of 69'8.75". (First High School National Championship).

2006 (11th Grade): I threw a personal best of 85'6" with the 25lb weight which also broke the National High School Record of 82'10" set by Leif Arrhenius in 2004. (Side note, Leif and I won the Shot Put and Weight Throw respectively at the 2011 NCAA D1 Indoor Track and Field Championships to become the first throwers to be former National High School Records holders in the 25lb weight throw to sweep NCAA throwing crowns). I also swept the National Championships that winter while setting National High School Records in both meets in the same weekend! I won the Nike Indoor Nationals at 83'2.5" and the National Scholastic Indoor Championships at 85'6". This year, the New Balance Armory in Manhattan, New York, revamped their throwing area to include the weight throw. Formerly, Manhattan College would host the weight throw at the National Meet. I also threw the 35lb weight for the first time because I was throwing too far to throw at West Point and threw it 59'7". (Two National High School Championships and New National High School Record).

2007 (12th Grade): This year the Armory spent even more money on their throwing facility to accommodate the weight throw because I was throwing too far. They spent about $25,000 to extend the weight throw cage, move the ring, and put up higher fencing at the end of the cage. To, in my opinion, thank the Armory for their generosity I threw solely at the National Scholastic Indoor Championship which is held annually at the Armory. I felt it was the right thing to do because if they did not extend that weight throw area, I would have decided to sit out my senior year in the weight throw. So, to repay them I threw the shot put and the weight throw at the NSIC meet at the Armory and I won both of them! I threw the 12lb Shot Put a indoor PR of 64'1" to beat heavy favorite Jimmie Pacifico and threw the 25lb weight a National Record 86'5.5". I still consider this meet to be my second best meet of all-time behind the 2008 World Junior Championships. Also this year I threw the 35lb Weight 62'3".(National Champion in the Shot Put and Weight Throw, National Record).

2008 (Freshman North Carolina): This year I threw a personal best of 72'3" in the 35lb weight throw which is still a World Junior Record in the event when I placed third at the NCAA D1 Indoor Track and Field Championships. I only had one meet under 70' this year, ironically at the Armory, when I threw 68' something. That meet at the armory would be the only time I ever threw under 70' as my best throw in a meet. This set a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill school record by one quarter inch. I also won the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships in the weight throw. This would be my first of four conference championships I won in the weight throw while in college. I have never lost a conference championship. (ACC Champion; All-American; World Junior Record)

2009 (Sophomore LSU): I threw a personal best of 74'5.5" at the Southeastern Conference Championships to establish a new LSU School Record. This makes me the owner of weight throw records at two Division-1 Universities. I placed fourth at the NCAA Indoor Championships that year and would be my last loss in the weight throw. (SEC Champion; All-American)

2010 (Junior LSU): I threw a personal best of 78'1" at the Southeastern Conference Championships to establish a new SEC Record. The old record was held by Cory Martin of Auburn at 76' something. I also won my first National Championship in college that year and went undefeated. (National Champion; SEC Champion: SEC Record; Undefeated).

2011 (Senior LSU): I threw a seasonal best of 76'6.25" at LSU to set a new Carl Maddox Field House Record. This was the only meet I threw over 74' at my senior year. This year would definietly be a colossal dissapointment if I did not repeat as SEC Champion for the third straight year and win back-to-back NCAA Championships. I also went undefeated to collegiate athletes. Jake Freeman, '03 Graduate of Manhattan College and 2011 USA Indoor Champion, beat me at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational in February. I do not care about losing that meet because my team won the championship at that meet and so far is the only time I have won a team event in college.

Summary: National High School Record, New York State Record in the 25lb and 35lb weight throw, LSU and North Carolina Records, World Junior Record in the 35lb weight throw, four-time High School National Champion in the 25lb weight throw, four-time indoor Conference Champion (three-time SEC; One ACC) in the 35lb weight throw, Two-time NCAA Division-1 Champion in the 35lb weight throw.

Before I have some closing remarks I would like to thank everyone who helped me have such success in the weight throw as I did. Marty Engel, John McCree, Don Buckley, Brother Gary Cregan, Derek Yush, my Mother and the rest of my family (especially my Aunt Eileen), my girlfriend Rachel and her family, my St. Anthony's teammates, my UNC teammates, my LSU teammates, training staff and everyone else who I have failed to mention. It means the world to me to have you all in my life and could not thank you enough for all the love and support you have extended to me in the last 9 years of my throwing career.

Quick Summary of my final meet: I won the NCAA Division-1 Weight Throw title at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. Since it was so close to Baton Rouge (~6 hours) I had plenty of teammates come and watch as well as some family members. My Mom flew down from New York to watch, my girlfriend and sister drove from Baton Rouge, my teammates Ross Roubion and Ryan Roubion drove in, and most of all my cousin Brian drove up from San Antonio, Tx, to watch. It was the first time he has seen me throw since 2001 or 2002 when I threw Javelin at a regional USATF meet. Brian is a specialist in the US Army Rangers and was wounded in June of 2010 when he stepped on a land mine which cost him his left leg and two toes on his right foot. It is amazing how such a tragedy can bring people together. Brian grew up in South Carolina and with track and school I rarely got to see him and the rest of my family there. I saw him maybe four or five times since 2000 until he was hurt in Afghanistan. Since he was injured I have seen him five times in the last 8 months and will see him again next month in Austin, Tx and at least three more times before September. I know I do not say it too much but I am very proud to have the family that I do and am thankful to the McGuire angels and God for strengthening the love in my family through all the hard times my family has had the last two years and most importantly for keeping us together.

I hoped you enjoyed reading that as much as I will love to print this out and watch it burn away in the fire! YAY OUTDOOR SEASON!!!!


GEAUX TIGERS!