April 9, 2002

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Missouri Track & Field's Christian Cantwell along with Kansas State multi-event performer Austra Skujyte were selected as the Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Athletes of the Week for the week of April 1-7, the conference announced Monday. This is the first award for Cantwell and the Tigers during the outdoor season thus far.

Cantwell, the Big 12's two-time defending outdoor men's shot put champion (2000, 2001), threw 68-2.5 April 6 at the Missouri Relays in Columbia. His mark is currently the best throw in the collegiate ranks and third-best in the world as of Monday.

The Eldon, Mo., junior also broke the MU, the Walton Stadium and Missouri Relays records en route to setting his personal-best toss. In addition to his success in the shot put, Cantwell has turned in discus (180-1) and hammer (174-7) performances which are among the top ten conference marks in those events. Cantwell now has registered two NCAA automatic-qualifying marks this season - he threw 64-8 at the College Station Relays March 16.