University of Findlay to Host Indoor Track & Field Elite Shot Put & Weight Throw Competitions

Release information courtesy of Lisa Klingshirn, University of Findlay

FINDLAY, Ohio – The University of Findlay will host its fourth annual Elite Weight Throw competition and its first annual Elite Shot Put Competition as part of the Findlay Indoor Track & Field Open on Friday, February 5. The events are slated for 6:45 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., respectively, in the university’s Malcolm Athletic Center.

Elite Weight Throw Competition

Three-time Olympian and six-time world championship competitor Libor Charfreitag of Slovakia is the defending champion and the meet and fieldhouse record holder at 24.86m (81’6 ¾”). Charfreitag boasts a personal best of 25.68m (84’3”) in the weight and is the bronze medalist in the 2007 World Championships in the hammer. Charfreitag currently throws for Mizuno.

Nike’s A.G. Krueger will look to dethrone Charfreitag. He is a five-time USA champion in the weight throw with a personal best of 24.78m (81’3 ½”). Krueger is also a four-time USA champion and two-time Olympian in the hammer. He was the 2001 NCAA II national champion in the weight throw for Morningside College.

USA National Qualifiers Garland Porter and Rob Klenk will look to improve upon their respective third and fourth place finishes at last year’s Elite. Porter, a native of Indianapolis IN, finished third at the 2009 USA Championships and has a personal best of 23.40m (76’9 ½”). Klenk, competing for the Ashland Elite Club, won the 2008 NCAA II National Championship in the weight for Ashland University and has a personal best of 21.71m (71’2 ¾”). He finished sixth at last year’s USA Championships.

Steve Bartholomew will make his second appearance at the Elite Weight Throw, finishing sixth a year ago. He was a NCAA I national qualifier for Valparaiso and now competes for Dominator Athletics. Bartholomew has a personal best of 20.67m (67’9 ¾”).

Three of the top five NCAA II collegians will also compete. Jason Stomps (Hillsdale) has the top throw in Division II this year with a mark of 20.60m (67’7”) and his teammate Aaron Falk is currently ranked third with a toss of 20.24m (66’5”). Falk finished fourth at the 2009 NCAA II national meet. Ashland’s Mike Jeffery has Division II’s fifth best throw this year and was the 2009 NCAA II national runner-up. Jeffrey has a personal best of 20.95m (68’8 ¾”).

The University of Findlay graduate James Eric rounds out the field. Eric is the Oilers school record holder at 19.43m (63’9”) and is a two-time NCAA II All-American placing in the weight and hammer at the 2009 indoor and outdoor championships respectively. Eric is currently in graduate school at Kent State University where he will utilize his remaining season of outdoor eligibility.

The Elite Weight Throw will be just a part of a busy weekend of track & field at The University of Findlay. In addition to the Findlay Open, the Oilers will host the NCAA II Team Challenge which will showcase some of the top DII athletes in the country.

Elite Shot Put Competition

Highlighting the field will be Steve Manz, fourth place finisher in the 2008 USA Indoor Championships. Manz was a three-time NCAA I All-American for Michigan State and boasts a personal best of 20.29m (66’7”). He currently is an assistant track & field coach for The University of Findlay.

Defending NCAA II outdoor national champion Kurt Roberts will also be in the hunt for the inaugural win. Roberts, competing for Ashland University, has the top throw in NCAA II this indoor season at 19.07m (62’6 ½”) and is a four-time All-American for the Eagles.

Other top collegians entered include Eastern Michigan’s Gerald Gersham, The University of Findlay’s Derrick Vicars, and Grand Valley’s Matt Armstrong. Gersham is currently ranked sixth in the nation in NCAA I competition with a mark of 18.93m (62’1 ½”). Vicars moved into the fifth spot on the NCAA II list this past weekend with his school record toss of 17.42m (57’2”) at the Findlay Classic. Armstrong is ranked eighth in NCAA II with a throw of 17.14m (56’2 ¾”).

Rounding out the field will be a trio of state high record holders. Davis Fraker (McIntosh HS, GA) became the #2 all-time high school thrower when he putted the 16-lb implement 18.00m (59’ ¾”) last weekend at The Armory in New York City. The Michigan state record holder, Zach Hill is a redshirt freshman at Michigan State University and has a personal best this year of 18.11m (59’5”). Ashland red-shirt freshman DJ Duke is the Ohio state record holder and has tossed the collegiate shot 17.20m (56’5 ½”).

It will be a great night of throwing as the fourth annual Elite Weight Throw Competition kicks off the evening field events at 6:45pm and will feature Olympians Libor Charfreitag and A.G. Krueger. Following the Elite Shot Put, the throwing events of NCAA II Team Challenge will get underway with the men’s weight. The NCAA II Team Challenge which continues on Saturday will showcase some of the top DII athletes in the country.