June 11, 2006

COLUMBIA, Mo.-- (Gateshead, U.K.) Missouri track and field post-collegian Christian Cantwell extended his world-leading shot put mark by 10 inches in winning at the Norwich Union British Grand Prix in Gateshead, U.K.  Cantwell's throw of 73 feet, 8 inches (22.45m), his personal-best throw overseas, occurred on final throw of the competition, giving him his fifth-straight shot put title, also breaking the United Kingdom's all-comers record in the event.

 

Cantwell (Eldon, Mo.) has now won at five-straight major competitions including the Kansas Relays, the Drake Relays, the Modesto Relays, and the Prefontaine Classic.

 

Today's throw was also Cantwell's second-best of his career as he now holds the top three marks in the World at this point in the season.

 

Cantwell entered the ring on his final throw in second-place, down just an inch and quarter to American Reese Hoffa before launching the World's best throw in two years.

 

Through eight of 12 stops on the IAAF World Athletics Tour, Cantwell is second in the tour standings trailing Hoffa by two points. Athletes get 10 points for winning, eight for placing second, six for third, etc.

 

"This was a great competition," said Cantwell to IAAF.org's Matthew Brown. "I really had to pull that out on my last put. I think I can go over [75-5] and hope to do that in the US championships."

 

At the same meet, Jamaican Asafa Powell tied his own and American Justin Gatlin's World record in the 100-meter dash, clocking 9.77 officially.

 

The AT&T USA Track & Field Championships begin June 22 in Indianapolis, Ind. Cantwell, the defending U.S. Champion in the shot put, will be among several Missouri collegians and post-collegians vying for the nation's top spots in both open and junior events.

 

###