Delsea’s Josh Awotunde threw 68-10 3/4 and safely advanced to tonight’s finals of the shot put at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
Awotunde threw 68-10 3/4, a little more than two feet off his lifetime best of 71-1 1/2 that he threw in Walnut, Calif., in May.
The top 12 throwers in Friday afternoon’s trials advanced to the final, which is scheduled for 9:30 p.m.
The trials and finals are considered separate competitions, so marks achieved this afternoon do not carry over to the final. That’s why Awotunde, with no chance to lose his spot in the final after a 68-10 3/4, elected to pass his second and third throws.
Awotunde’s throw was 3rd-best in the first round, behind Ryan Crouser, who set an Olympic Trials record of 75-2 1/2, and Joe Kovacs, who threw 71-6 3/4.
The cut-off to advance to Friday evening was 64-6.
Andrew Liskowitz, a native of Middletown and a graduate of Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, made it two New Jersey natives in the final. Liskowitz, a seven-time All-America at Michigan, threw 66-3 1/4. He has a PR of 69-4 1/2.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 