In only his third outdoor meet in nearly two years, Cherokee graduate Lucciano Pizarro popped a big 60-foot shot put effort and near PR in a meet Saturday in Coral Gables, Fla.
Pizarro, a junior at Penn State, threw 60-8 and placed 2nd in the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational at the University of Miami. Harvard junior All-America Alexander Kolesnikoff won the competition with a 62-5.
Pizarro came up only 5 ½ inches short of his lifetime-best 61-1 ½, which he threw at the Jim Thorpe Invitational at Penn State in May of 2021. That’s the No. 9 throw in Penn State history, even though PSU hasn’t updated its all-time performance list in a few years.
Pizarro had three fouls in his series, but hit 60-8 on his 4th throw and also had a 59-6 ½ on his second throw.
He ranks 5th so far in the Big Ten Conference and is No. 10 on the 2023 U.S. list on the World Athletics web site.
Pizarro ranks 5th in South Jersey alumni history, behind world championships bronze medalist Josh Awotunde of Delsea [71-1 ½ in 2022], Bridgeton’s Braheme Days [66-3 ½ in 2016], Paulsboro’s Jon Kalnas [66-2 ¾ in 2008] and Kennedy’s Steve Muse [61-8 in 1987].
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 