Josh Awotunde popped the No. 9 shot put in the world this year in his final tune-up prior to the U.S. Championships this coming weekend.
Awotunde, a 2013 Delsea graduate, threw a season-best 68-4 ¾ Friday at Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais at Arena Stade Couvert in Liévin, France. That’s No. 5 among U.S. men so far this year.
Awotunde placed 3rd at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene and was 7th last year in Tokyo. Last August he won his first U.S. title with a final-throw PR of 73-8 ¾, also in Eugene.
He’s No. 17 in world history and No. 10 in U.S. history.
The 68-4 ¾ was his best throw since he threw 69-4 ¼ at Worlds in Toko in September.
The shot put final is scheduled for 1:25 p.m. on Sunday, the second day of the two-day meet at Ocean Breeze.
Awotunde has reached the final in the last 11 U.S. Championships he’s entered, with six podium finishes, including three indoors.
Josh Awotunde at U.S. Nationals
2017 Outdoors: 14th, 62-4 ¾ [Sacramento]
2018 Outdoors: 7th, 66-1 [Des Moines]
2019 Indoors: 3rd, 67-8 [New York]
2019 Outdoors: 5th, 68-9 ½ [Des Moines]
2020 Indoors: 5th, 66-1 ¼ [Albuquerque]
2021 Outdoors [OT]: 5th, 71-7 ¾ [Eugene]
2022 Indoors: 2nd, 71-3 ¾ [Spokane]
2022 Outdoors: 3rd, 70-6 ¾ [Eugene]
2023 Outdoors: 2nd, 72-6 [Eugene]
2024 Outdoors [OT]: 5th, 71-5[Eugene]
2025 Indoors: 3rd, 69-0 ¾ [New York]
2025 Outdoors: 1st, 73-8 ½ [Eugene]
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 