Pan American Games 2011

As you can tell by the photo I am super excited about my silver medal from the Pan Am Games.  I want to say a special thanks to the USA staff and medical team, you guys did an outstanding job. And a special shout out to the Lady throwers who brought home 4 medals for TEAM USA.  We started off with a Bronze in the Hammer by Amber Campbell, Bronze in the Shot Put by Michelle Carter, Gold in the Javelin by Alicia Deshaiser, and I brought it home with the Silver in the discus. Great JOB ladies!!   The village was set up really well, easy to get to all the buildings without a lot of walking.  The food wasn’t to bad either.  I think the most interesting and innovative thing was that the furniture was made out of cardboard.

We had a great international zone full of culture activities, salon, souvenir shop and a food court with a Starbucks.

This was a great way to finish the 2011 season.  Now it’s time to get ready the 2012 Olympic season.  I’ll keep you posted

For Official Results

Thank you Holley DeShaw for the photos!

Pan Am Games

 

World Championships did not go as well as I wanted but my season is far from over.  I have the Diamond League Final in Brussels, Belgium on September 16th, which I am currently in 3rd place in the Diamond Race, the final meet is worth double points.  Then at the end of October we have the Pan Am Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.  We only have the Pan Am’s every four years and this is going to be my 3rd Pan Am team.  It will be another honor to wear the United States of America uniform and represent my country.

The photo is the Pan Am track under construction.  We still don’t know if its ready yet.

World Championships Daegu, Korea

The 2011 season has been so far a very consistent year for me as far my distances.  In the discus throw that is pretty hard to do with varying conditions.  I like the groove that my coach and I are in right now, with training and technique work.  I keep complaining, and he keeps pushing me, LOL!   I am super excited about the upcoming weeks as we prepare for Daegu I know we can get a lot done in the next 6 weeks.  I throw on the 1st two days, qualifying round on August 27th and finals on August 28th. A link to the official website of World Championships   It’s time for Team USA to Shine, lets go!!

Rome Diamond League Meet

  This was my first trip to Rome, Italy and it was full of fun adventures.  The travel there wasnt to bad about 11 hours of flying time, I landed in the morning so I had a day to recover and get used to the time change.  My first day there I went to the track for a light shake out, which is part of the routine, but this trip turned into an adventure.  They have the police escorts ready, which is typical for a Diamond League Meet, everyone’s loading the bus most of us our pretty tired from a lot of hours of flying.  We start out headed to the track and the police are leading the way blocking the intersections and clearing traffic and then we start flying!!  I didn’t know buses could move that fast and turn corners at speeds that high.  I felt like I was on Keanu Reeve’s bus in the movie Speed, my adrenline instantly kicked in.  Luckily we made it to the warm up track in one piece. The practice track is surrounded by very old statues all posing for different track and field events and various sports.  That’s when my Roman history lesson started.  Here’s a link for more information on the warm up track, Foro Italico. Our meet was held in the Stadio Olimpico which was host to the 1960 Summer Olympics.  It was a pretty awesome feeling knowing how many great athletes have competed there.  Our event was the first of the evening, I threw better than my last meet, the rythm and timming are starting to come around.  I know I have some long throws coming.  Here are the results. I was able to hang out for an extra couple of days and I took advantage and did some sight seeing.  Check out the video I put together of the pictures from my trip.  Here’s a link to some Roman History

Shanghai Diamond League Meeting

I have just returned home from my first Diamond League meeting of the 2011 season in Shanghai, China.  This was my first time to Shanghai, I was only there for 2 days but I really liked the city.  The hotel was awesome and it was connected to the stadium, which was super cool!  We didn’t have to worry about bus transportation, we just walked down the hall and into the stadium.  We had a loaded discus field as usual for the diamond league meetings.  I finished 4th at 60.98 meters, not bad for my first international meet of the year.  I wanted to finish at least top 3 to earn some diamond league points for a chance at the end of the season throphy.  So I’ll have to make them up at my next meets.     At the dinner after the meet we had a chef on hand making hand made ramen noodles.  Not only was it cool to watch they tasted great too.       Please enjoy the video I posted of Shanghai noodles.     For meet results click here 

Up Next Maui

My next meet is the throwdown in Maui on April 28th and 29th.   It’s a long trip but we should have great weather and hopefully favorable conditions.  This is the same site where Suzy Powell set the American Record in 2007.  If your in the area please come out and cheer us on!! I’ll be sure to get some great photos and of course throwing videos.Click here for meet information 

High Performance in Lubbock, TX

I opened up my 2011 season in Lubbock, TX on Friday April 1st.  There was a lot of anticipation for me.  I have been training really hard and throwing everything but a 1 kilo discus, which is my competition implement.  I got a few workouts with it before leaving for Lubbock and I wasn’t sure what to expect.  Plus I am going to a USATF high performance meet which means the top throwers in the country will be there.  We don’t typically start our seasons with all the best.  Usually a low key local meet is how we start.  I guess you could say I was nervous, but I like nerves.  The meet finished well I threw 63.19 meters(207′4″) and finished in 2nd place to Becky Briesch who threw 63.33 meters(207′9″).  The best part is we both have the World Championship “A” standard out of the way.  And we currently have the 3rd and 4th longest throws in the world so far.   Now that the season is started we can get back to work and more serious training. Up next War Eagle Invite in Auburn, AL on April 16th

Coming Soon….

It’s almost time to start the 2011 outdoor season.  My training has been going really well this year.  I spent most of last year getting healthy and rehabing from a long career of throwing and training.  This off season I have been able to work on my mobility, flexibility and strength.  I am super excited about how my body feels.  I am enjoying the techincal aspects of the throw because my body is finally able to do what I have been wanting it to for a long time.  I feel like wine getting better with age. I haven’t decided which weekend I’ll open up this spring.  Either late March or early April.  We have an exicting year with  USA Championships in June,  World Championships in Daegu, Korea late August and early September and this will also be the 2nd year of the Diamond League .

Huskies Win the Holiday Bowl!!

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and I hope 2011 is a great year for all.  I finished 2010 with a bang!!  I was able to cheer on the Washington Huskies to a Holiday Bowl victory in San Diego, CA.  Then I kept the celebration going with a New Years Eve count down on the Las Vegas strip.  I was fortunate to start 2011 ring side at a UFC event.  It was my first time watching a UFC event live and it was awesome.   I loaded some pictures and video for you to enjoy.

Brussels Diamond League

 The women’s discus diamond league final was yesterday in Brussels Belgium.  The diamond race in our event was won by Yarelis of Cuba.  But the last meet went to the young and on fire! Sandra of Croatia who threw a national record of 66.93 meters.  It was a great meet, sold out stadium of over 40,000 fans and some live music too, it was a great atmoshphere.  We were early in the program and the stadium was filling up as we competed.  I have been training hard since the London meet and it took me a few rounds to get into my competition groove, 6 rounds to say the least.  My last throw was my best throw and it would have been enough for 4th place but as competition goes a few others threw further in the final round and I finished in 6th place.  Next time I need the start with that throw and then build from there.  I feel pretty good though with the changes I made and now I have 2 more european meets to better my seasons best and maybe pr.  The 2010 diamond league is over and I fnished 4th in the overall race, a very consistent season but next year will be better. Final Meet Results

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