Landon Hamblin, Senior, Aberdeen High School

Published 1:30 am Saturday, May 9, 2026

Parents: Kelly and Derek Hamblin

Sports participation: Wrestling and track and field

G.P.A.: 3.80

The first thing one notices is that Landon Hamblin fills up a doorway. He is tall at six feet two and a half inches, but that isn’t why the doorway is full. He is wide from top to bottom weighing 280 pounds, but for his size Hamblin carries little extra weight.

Explosiveness isn’t normally associated with his body type and that is his secret weapon. Hamblin is nimble for a large athlete and currently has the second longest shot put mark in the Washington 2A class. His mark of 55 feet 7.5 inches is only three inches from the top spot. It would be a mistake to take his easy smile and affability as a weakness. He trains hard. He is a competitor. He wants to improve on his fourth place state finish last year in the shot.

2026 seems to be the year of the shot putter for Grays Harbor and Hamblin leads the pack with his long mark. At present, there are five other local throwers ranked in the top five of their respective classifications as track and field marches to the post season: Rylee Brooks from Aberdeen, Sydney Gordon from Hoquiam, Lexi Stamper from Mary M. Knight, and Tahmirah Grover-Curley from Taholah. For the boys, Oakville’s Lewis Koser claims the top throws in both shot put and discus in Washington’s 1B ranks.

In wrestling, Hamblin was a bit of a surprise finalist after an upset win in the semifinals put him in the 285 pound 2A state championship match this past February in the Tacoma Dome. He would eventually lose in the final to the favorite from Anacortes, who only ceded three points during the entire state tourney. He even surprised himself how far he made it at state. However good Hamblin is at wrestling, shot put is his pure passion. He has his sights set for the top of the podium at the 2A Washington State Track and Field Championships at Mount Tahoma in three short weeks. Hamblin sat down long enough to talk before placing fourth at the prestigious all-classification Shelton Invitational.

The Daily World: You didn’t do a sport in the fall, what were you doing to prepare yourself for the successful year you’re having?

Landon Hamblin: I just trained. I lifted for strength for track. And then I trained cardio to get ready for wrestling. I didn’t have any problems making my weight for wrestling.

TDW: What is your favorite academic subject in school and why?

Hamblin: Science. Anything science.Ever since I was younger I’ve always been interested in biology, micro-biology and anatomy.

TDW: So then are you an “outdoors” type guy?

Hamblin: Yeah, definitely, I love it.

TDW: OK, what do you like to do outdoors besides throwing iron around?

Hamblin: I do like fishing, when I can, but I haven’t been able to do it much because my schedule is pretty tight. I love doing trails, climbing mountain trails.

TDW: Mountain trails? Most big kids don’t like to do that.

Hamblin: Hopefully this next month I can go to Mount St. Helens. I’ve climbed Colonel Bob, Mount Ellinor. … It was bad, when you get to the top it’s so steep.

TDW: Has athletics or academics been harder for you to be good at?

Hamblin: Sports. Luckily I’ve been academically gifted. I can retain most things or can visualize it, and I love to read. I have a good study plan and can stick to it.

TDW: To get the strength and body that you have to throw, what is your method of success at the dinner table?

Hamblin: I try to focus on a lot of protein like a pound or two of chicken or beef every day and I always pair everything with a gallon of milk. I always try to make milk a priority. It tastes good and it’s good for you. I’ll order a glass of milk at a restaurant and sometimes they’ll give you a weird look, I don’t care.

TDW: How about carbs? Do you have a plan for those?

Hamblin: I’ll carb-load before a meet so I have the energy for my throws. I’ll eat a lot of breakfast sandwiches, and milk does have carbs so I’ll pick up a half gallon of milk to chug on the way there.

TDW: You said before that throwing is your favorite and you did wrestling for “fun.” Knowing how hard wrestling is physically and mentally, explain that.

Hamblin: I do like to say I did wrestling for fun, but after that finals match … it’s the first time that I cried like a man. I wasn’t sad that I lost, I was sad because it would be the last time I wrestled and I had so much fun.

TDW: What do you do to get ready before you start throwing?

Hamblin: I really prioritize my flexibility and I do a lot of stretching. If you’re tight you can tear something. I do a lot of hip mobility stretching, too. A couple of weeks before the championships I will go heavy in the weight room one last time and then back off the weight.

TDW: So you got to meet Ryan Crouser (three-time Olympic champion and world record holder in shot put, and Portland native) when throwing in Eugene?

Hamblin: Yes, he’s huge! He signed my shoes for me. He’s like five inches taller than me and bigger. He is so athletic and a smooth thrower. He’s going to go one more year for the Olympics.

TDW: What is your biggest highlight as a student-athlete at Aberdeen High School so far?

Hamblin: I’d have to say going to the finals in wrestling. No Bobcat heavyweight has ever won state, but I’ve placed at state twice which I don’t think anyone has done before. My coaches are so good and they pushed me so hard … right to my limit.

TDW: Good luck this weekend, thanks for your time, Landon.

Hamblin: You’re welcome, thanks. Go ‘Cats!