PORTLAND, Oregon, 7 June 2004 — American shot putter Christian Cantwell, 23, posted the best performance in the world this year Saturday with a throw of 22.54m at the Oregon Track Classic.
With the 22.54m, on his first attempt of the competition, Cantwell improved on his own previous best of 22.35m on May 22 at Carson, California.
Saturday’s throw put Cantwell at eighth on the all-time list headed by compatriot Randy Barnes, who set the world record of 23.12m on May 20 1990 in Westwood, California.
Cantwell dominated Saturday’s competition, with his first three throws exceeding 22m (22.54, 22.16, 22.33), to head compatriots Adam Nelson (21.68) and John Godina (21.67).
But the winner said his best result was technically no different from his other efforts.
“It was probably the good crowd,” Cantwell said. “Technically, everything was just the same.” John Capel won the 100 meters in 10.07 seconds running into a 1.1m second headwind with fellow American Darvis Patton second in 10.18, edging compatriot Mickey Grimes who had the same time.
“The hunger is back and it’s starting early,” Capel said. Debbie Ferguson of Bahamas won the 200m in 22.84 with American Crystal Cox second in 23.00 and Allyson Felix third in 23.12. There was a 1.3m tailwind.
Kenyan men grabbed two distance crowns with Laban Rotich winning the 1,500m in 3:35.56 by .37 over Canada’s Kevin Sullivan and Luke Kipkosgei taking the 3,000m in 7:42.65 to lead a Kenyan podium sweep.
Jamaican men doubled at 400m with Brandon Simpson winning the 400m in 45.29 seconds and Ian Weakly claiming the 400m hurdles in 49.07.
