From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Delsea’s Josh Awotunde is on his way to his 2nd straight World Championships.

Awotunde popped a 70-7 throw on his third shot put attempt at the USATF National Championships in Eugene, Ore., to move from 4th to 3rd and secure a berth at Worlds

Awotunde placed 5th at indoor Worlds at Штарк арена (Stark Arena) in Belgerade, Serbia, in March.

Awotunde had only competed once outdoors this spring – he threw 70-11 ½ on April 16 at the USATF Golden Games at Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut, Calif – so Nationals was his first meet in 10 weeks and only his sixth since the end of his 2021 season.

After throwing 69-8 ¼ and 67-10 ¼ on his first two throws, Awotunde was sitting in 4th place, one spot outside qualifying for Worlds.

But with his 70-7 he moved past Tripp Piperi of Texas, who was sitting in 3rd at 70-3 ¾, and that held up for the final spot on the U.S. team that will compete in the World Championships later this summer back at Hayward Field.

Awotunde closed with throws of 67-11 and 68-9 ¼ before fouling on his final throw. His five legal throws averaged 69-0.

Awotunde is ranked No. 9 in the world this year with his 70-11 ½ from April and No. 15 in U.S. history with his PR of 72-2 from a meet in Padova, Italy, last September.

The U.S. men’s and women’s teams will both be represented by South Jersey shot putters. Cherokee graduate Jessica Woodard PR’d with a 63-7 ¾ – No. 14 in US. History – to place 3rd in the women’s shot put. Woodard graduated from Cherokee in 2013, one year before Awotunde graduated from Delsea.

The 2022 World Athletics Champions are scheduled for July 15-24 at Hayward Field. The men’s shot put qualifying round is scheduled for 9:55 p.m. EST on July 15 with the final slated for July 17 at 9:27 p.m.

Here is a look at all of Awotunde’s 70-foot throws, including all secondary throws within a series. Note that full series information was never released in the results from last year’s Meeting Città di Padova at Stadio Colbachini in Padovad, Poland. So it’s possible he has additional 70-foot throws from that meet we don’t know about.

Josh Awotunde All-Time 70-Foot Throws
72-2 … Meeting Città di Padova, Stadio Colbachini, Padovad, Poland, Sept. 5, 2021 [N/A] [place]
71-8 … U.S. Olympic Trials, Eugene, Ore., June 18, 2021 [6th throw] (5th place]
71-2 ¼i … World Athletics Indoors, Belgrade, Serbia, March 19, 2022 [3rd throw] (5th)
71-2 ¼ … Gyulai István Memorial, Székesfehérvár, Hungary, July 6, 2021 [4th throw] (3rd)
71-1 ½ … Golden Games, Walnut, Calif., May 9, 2021 [6th throw] [2nd place]
70-11 ¾ … World Athletics Indoors, Belgrade, Serbia, March 19, 2022 [5th throw] [2nd]
70-11 ½ … USATF Golden Games, Walnut, Calif., April 16, 2022 [5th throw) [2nd]
70-10 ¾ … USATF Golden Games, Walnut, Calif., April 16, 2022 [4th throw) [—]
70-7 … USATF Championships, Eugene, Ore., June 24, 2022 [3rd throw] [2nd]
70-6 ½ … Gyulai István Memorial, Székesfehérvár, Hungary, July 6, 2021 [6th throw] [—]
70-6 ¼i … American Track League, Louisville, Ky., Feb. 12, 2022 [3rd throw] [1st]
70-3 ½ … USATF Golden Games, Walnut, Calif., April 16, 2022 [3rd throw] [—]
70-2 ½i … American Track League, Louisville, Ky., Feb. 12, 2022 [1st throw] [—]
70-0 ¼ … USATF Golden Games, Walnut, Calif., April 16, 2022 [2nd throw] [—]
70-0 ¼ … World Athletics Indoors, Belgrade, Serbia, March 19, 2022 [2nd throw] [—]