August 17, 2004

U S Track and Field

TRACK & FIELD: Shot putters ready to enter Olympic ring

ATHENS – Team USA’s shot putters will open Olympic track & field competition when they compete in their event Wednesday in Olympia, Greece. More than 15,000 spectators are expected to attend each session held at the site where the Olympic Games were born in 776 B.C.

The women’s throwers will be the first to compete in Olympia, at 8:30 a.m. local time. Finals are scheduled for 4 p.m. Because women were not allowed to compete in the ancient Olympic Games, they will be the first female Olympic athletes to compete on the ancient site.

Olympic Trials and NCAA champion Laura Gerraughty (Chapel Hill, N.C.) and 2003 U.S. indoor and outdoor champion Kristin Heaston (Palo Alto, Calif.) will represent Team USA in women’s competition. Heaston owns the top throw outdoors by an American this year with her mark of 18.56m/60-10.75, while Gerraughty’s top outdoor mark is 18.54/60-10. The University of North Carolina standout threw 19.15m/62-10 indoors in 2004, breaking the collegiate record.

The U.S. duo’s international competition will include Svetlana Krivelyova of Russia, the 1992 Olympic champion who won the 2003 world outdoor title in Paris. Three-time world champion and 1996 Olympic gold medalist Astrid Kumbernuss of Germany and 2000 gold medalist Yanina Korolchik of Belarus also are in the field. The 2004 world leader is Irina Korzhanenko of Russia, with a throw of 20.79m/68-2.5. Krivelyova is #2 this year at 20.69 (67-10.75), with Nadezhda Ostapchuk of Belarus #3 at 20.16/66-1.75.

Nelson, Hoffa, Godina on medal hunt

Once again, Team USA boasts the most potent competitors in the men’s shot put field with Olympic silver medalist and two-time world outdoor runner-up Adam Nelson (Athens, Ga.); Olympic Trials runner-up and 2004 world indoor silver medalist Reese Hoffa (Athens, Ga.); and three-time world outdoor champion, 1996 Olympic silver medalist and 2000 Olympic bronze medalist John Godina (Mesa, Ariz.). Men’s competition commences with qualifying rounds at 10 a.m. and finals at 5:30 p.m.

Team USA has won 16 gold, 18 silver and 11 bronze medals in Olympic shot put competition, and the Americans are eyeing more medals to add to that impressive total. Among the field, Godina, Nelson and Hoffa stand 1-2-3, respectively, so far in 2004, and they own 13 of the top 17 throws in the world this year. The other four throws of the top 17 belong to fellow American Christian Cantwell, who placed fourth at the Olympic Trials. Godina owns a top yearly mark of 21.71/71-2.75, with Nelson at 21.68/71-1.5 and Hoffa just a centimeter behind at 21.67/71-1.25.

Twenty-eight year old Andrey Mikhnevich of Belarus is the reigning world champion and is the #5 thrower this year in the field at 21.23/69-8. At #4 is Jannus Robberts of South Africa (21.24m/69-8.25). Manuel Martinez (21.06/69-1.25) of Spain is the 2003 world indoor champion and has big-meet potential, while Marco Antonio Verni of Chile (21.14/69-4.25), Yuriy Belov of Belarus (21.03/69-0) and Joaquim Olsen of Denmark (21.00/68-10.75) also have thrown over 21 meters this year.

For complete bios of all Team USA athletes, visit http://www.usatf.org/events/2004/OlympicGames/roster_alpha.asp

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Author: Jill Geer

Organization: USA Track & Field

Phone: Greece: 210-003-0801; U.S.: 317-261-0500