Whiting again surpasses barrier at 2010 Tucson Elite Throws Classic
Four individuals with ties to the Arizona State University track and field program competed in the first of two days of competition at the 2010 Tucson Elite Throws Classic in Tucson, Ariz., on Thursday night with two of those individuals winning the shot put, including Ryan Whiting, who once again surpassed the 70-foot barrier in competition, and Anna Jelmini, who recorded a big personal-best mark.
The collegiate leader and second-ranked in the world, Whiting won the shot put with a toss of 21.53m (70-07.75) to mark the fifth time this year he has thrown over 70 feet in competition. According to Track & Field News, Whiting now stands alone as one of the best of all-time by recording a 70-foot throw for the fifth time this year, the most ever in a single collegiate season.
Whiting broke the single-season tie of four with John Brenner (UCLA, 1984) and Janus Robberts (SMU, 2001) on his fifth of six attempt in the ring. He also took over the all-time lead for number of meets with a toss of 70-feet or better in a career at seven total, surpassing the six Robberts posted.
In the women's shot put, Jelmini, who is redshirting this year as a rookie in the program, showed she will be a force for the next four seasons to come as she won the event with a personal-best toss of 17.63m (57-10.25). That mark would rank as the third-best all-time in ASU history and also would place her second overall on the NCAA descending order list. Jelmini also competed in the discus and took fifth with a toss of 56.32m (184-9). Earlier this year, she threw the discus 58.62m at the Sun Angel Track Classic, a mark that would rank her No. 1 in the collegiate ranks.
Jason Lewis competed in the men's discus and took eighth overall with his best of 56.65m (185-10) while former Sun Devil Tai Battle competed in the women's discus and finished seventh in 54.16m (177-8).
Many of these same competitors and other Sun Devils will be back in Tucson on Saturday to compete in the final of two days of action at the Tucson meet. Next up for the team will be the NCAA Preliminary Rounds in Austin, Texas, next Friday and Saturday. Those accepted into the meet will be announced this Friday (May 21).