In his Twitter bio, UA junior Grayson Fleming writes: “I throw heavy objects — University of Arizona.”
Fleming’s track and field implement of choice is the hammer. But no, Fleming doesn’t fling a carpenter’s hammer across the Sonoran Desert.
The “heavy object” used in the hammer throw is similar to a 16-pound shot put, which is attached to a 4-foot-long wire that ends in a hand grip. Athletes swing the implement around, rotate to gain speed and then release it skyward in a final motion often accompanied with a grunt.
Fleming and his thrower teammates will get an opportunity to compete Saturday with some of the world’s best athletes in the shot put, discus, javelin and hammer throw.
They’ll gather at UA’s Drachman Stadium in the Tucson Elite Classic, a track meet that focuses on college and professional throwers.
“We have an amazing situation here in Tucson where our college athletes can compete with people they grew up idolizing or watching their videos on the Internet,” said T.J. Crater, the assistant UA track coach for the throwers.
Free and open to the public, the meet begins at 4 p.m.
Around 8:30 p.m. an elite field of shot put throwers will begin taking their best shots. Wildcat freshman Jordan Geist, the Pac 12 shot put and discus champion, “is beyond fired up,” Crater said, to go head-to-head with some of the world’s best.
Heading the shot put field is Tom Walsh of New Zealand. He took the bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio and won the 2017 World Championships in London.
Others include U.S. Olympians Darrell Hill and Ryan Whiting, ranked No. 3 and 4 in the U.S. last year, and Josh Freeman and Curtis Jenson, ranked No. 6 and 9.
In the hammer throw, Fleming will enter the same 7-foot circle as professional athletes Alexander Young, ranked No. 1 in the U.S. last year, and Diego Del Real of Mexico, who placed fourth at the Rio Olympics.
On the first day of the meet on Thursday, American Sean Donnelly threw 252-6 to establish the best U.S. mark in the hammer so far this season. Young did not compete Thursday.
Two women are also in the hammer throw field, Brooks Andersen, an NAU senior, and Heavin Warner, formerly of the University of Central Missouri. The women use a 8.8-pound implement.
UA freshman Turner Washington will compete in a strong field in the discus. On Thursday, professional athlete Sam Mattis threw 217 feet, 7 inches, the best U.S. mark this season. The discus record for Drachman Stadium is held by Washington’s father, Anthony, a three-time Olympian. Son Turner set the stadium record for high school throwers while at Canyon del Oro High School.
In the javelin, Ariana Ince, formerly of Rice, comes in with the farthest throw this season – 192-2. Wildcat freshman Kaelyn Carlson-Shipley will also compete in that event.
