Elite Throws Competition Highlights Findlay Open
It looks to be a big night of big throws as the shot putters and weight throwers take center stage at the Elite Throws Competition at the Findlay Open, hosted by The University of Findlay this Friday, Jan. 31. The action inside the oval promises to be one of the best ever at UF as it features a meeting of the biggest and best throwers from the Midwest. The 8th annual men's elite weight throw will take center stage, featuring not only 2012 Olympian A.G Kruger, but the NCAA I,II & III national leaders.
The festivities will start at 3:45 p.m. with the women's elite shot put, which features top-seed and U.S.A. Olympic qualifier, Nia Henderson. The field will also include the NCAA I and II second-ranked throwers in Purdue's Dani Bunch and Findlay's Kendra Averesch. It will be a tough night to make the final as the event will feature eleven ladies who are currently ranked in the top-20 of their respective collegiate divisions.
The men's elite shot put will showcase some of the country's best throwers with six of the top-25 throwers in the United States (as ranked by Track & Field News). Derrick Vicars, two-time NCAA II National Champion for The University of Findlay highlights the field, boasting a PR of 20.12m (66' ¼"). Ohio State alum, Matt Dechant, and Youngtown State's Bobby Grace (#8-ranked in NCAA I) will challenge for the win. The men's elite shot put is slated to begin at 5:15 p.m.
Purdue's Dani Bunch will step in the ring again for the women's elite weight throw at 6:00 p.m. Bunch, the NCAA I leader and the third-ranked thrower in the U.S., is the class of the field with a season's best of 22.35m (73'4"). There are also three more at the 20-meter+ range including Kent State's Jackie Leppelmeier, currently ranked 12th in NCAA I. The competition will serve as a great preview of what it may take to place at the NCAA II championships as five of the top nine are entered, including Ashland's Kim Habegger (#1) and Jessica Brindenthal (#2).
Capping off the evening will be the elite men's weight throw with a scheduled start time of 7:45 p.m. While Kruger is a multi-time U.S.A. champion and the Malcolm Athletic Center record holder at 24.68m (80'11 ¾"), the collegians in the field will be going for bragging rights as it will be the rarely seen encounter between the three NCAA leaders that will highlight this event. Enekwechi Chukwuebuka of Purdue has the edge with a season best of 23.31m (76'5.75"), which is also the best among all U.S. throwers, followed by Findlay's Justin Welch at 22.00m (72'2.25") and Mt. Union's Sean Donnelly at 19.58m (64'3"). The second and third-ranked NCAA II throwers, Zach Ball (Ashland) and Darien Thorton (Grand Valley), will also be in the ring adding to what should be a superb competition.
The field events will kick off at noon with the open sections of the throws (women's weight throw and men's shot put). Action on the track will start at 5:00 p.m.
Photo by Nathan Lennie