University of Missouri
NCAAOutdoorTrack&FieldChampionships
Cantwell National Runner-Up In Shot Put
6/14/2003 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
June 13, 2003
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Senior Christian Cantwell (Eldon, Mo.) finished second to Nebraska's Carl Myerscough in his final performance as a collegian in today's shot put finals of the NCAA Track and Field Championships. Now a seven-time All-American, Cantwell will move on to the U.S. Track & Field Championships in Palo Alto, Calif., next week.
Cantwell took the lead after his throw of 70 feet, 9 inches on his next to last attempt. Entering his final attempt, Cantwell still had the lead and threw 69 feet, 8 inches. All Christian had to do was wait on Nebraska's Myerscough who before only threw 68 feet, 3 inches on his first attempt.
"You can't play defense in track and field," said Brett Halter, assistant track and field coach. "All you can do is do your best and hope for the best. Unfortunately, Christian's throw wasn't the best on this day, that's just the way it is in this level of competition."
Myerscough's final attempt of 71 feet, 11 inches was the last throw of the competition.
"It's rough when you have third best throw currently in the world and still finish second," Halter said. "I'm proud of what he's accomplished."
Cantwell's throw of 70 feet, 9 inches is a new career best and a new Missouri record in the event.
Today was also day one of the heptathlon. Fiona Asigbee (Walford, Iowa) is currently in fourth place after day one's four of seven events with 3,277 points. Asigbee stayed consistent throughout the day, finishing in the top ten in all four events.
Freshman Jessica Stockard (Godfrey, Ill.) also represented Missouri today, she stands in 19th place. Stockard came into the championships ranked as the 27th heptathlete in the nation.
Yesterday marked the end of Knut Sommerfeldt's (Norway) collegiate career as both he and freshman Hans Uldal (Norway) competed in the decathlon. In his third appearance in the national championships, Sommerfeldt finished in 22nd place. After a slow start on the first day, he came back with the best javelin throw in the competition, 207 feet, 2 inches (63.15m).
Uldal had an outstanding performance in his first year at the championships. The freshman scored in the top 10 in five different events; however, in the high jump competition, he was unsuccessful in reaching a height, resulting in an estimated 700 point deficit in his final score. Despite the high jump, Uldal finished in 19th place.
Another Tiger career ended yesterday. Senior Russ Bell (Jefferson City, Mo.) went to the championships having qualified in three events - shot put, discus, and hammer throw, yet failed to qualify for the finals in any event. The four-time All-American finished 14th in the shot put, 17th in the discus, and 25th in the hammer throw in these championships.
Junior Janae Strickland (Houston, Texas) competed in the qualifying round of the women's shot put late last night and finished 20th overall. Her best throw went 49 feet, 11 inches (15.21 meters).
Saturday will be action packed as five Tigers compete in finals in their respective events and try to earn points for Missouri. Fiona Asigbee and Jennifer Stockard will complete the heptathlon. Jesse Sims and Jenny Bybee will compete in the high jump finals, and Jennifer Bennett will vie for points in the pole vault finals.
For complete coverage of tomorrow's events, log-on to www.mutigers.com.
