BERLIN, GERMANY — Twelve Drake Relays alumni, representing Team USA, competed during the first day of the World Outdoor Track and Field Championships Saturday highlighted by six-time Drake Relays champion Christian Cantwell who captured the gold medal in the men's shot put Saturday night.
Cantwell was one of three Drake Relays alumni in the finals of the men's shot put who had combined to win five world titles.
Cantwell, the 2008 Olympic silver medalist and two-time world indoor champion, needed a clutch performance late in the competition and got it in round five with his winning throw of 72 feet 3.5 inches, which is the best throw in the world this outdoor season.
"I have won medals in the past but not this one," said Cantwell, who set the existing Drake Relays and Drake Stadium record of 72-6.25 in 2006. "To win it in that fashion is even more exciting. I hope the crowd enjoyed it as much as we did. The level of the competition was very high ... so to win a competition like this, that makes me feel better.
"During the competition, I felt like I was rushing my throw, so I told myself to just slow down. I knew that when it left my hand that (the winning throw) was a good one.
"I was pretty happy at the quality of the competition, and I hope everyone watching enjoyed it as well. It's a pretty awesome feeling to be in this deep of a competition."
Three-time Drake Relays champion Reese Hoffa, the 2007 World Outdoor champion, finished fourth at 69-9.75.
Two-time Olympic silver medalist Adam Nelson, who was third at the 2009 Drake Relays, finished fifth Saturday night at 69-3.75.
2009 Drake Relays invitational champion Dan Taylor threw 63-7.5 after two fouls during the qualifying round Saturday morning and did not advance.
Reigning world 1,500-meter champion Bernard Lagat completed the first task towards defending his title by finishing second in heat two of the men's first round of competition.
Lagat, who won the invitational mile at the 2002 and 2004 Drake Relays, was in seventh-place with 200 meters to go when he began making his move to the front of the pack. He finished in 3:41.60 and will move on to Monday's semifinals.
"It went very well today," said Lagat. "I just wanted to run very smart. I wanted to get outside so I don't get boxed. That has been my strategy all the time. The most important thing is I want to run strong and feel like I can run fast with them in the last lap. That is why I wanted to make sure I ran with the guys. With 300 meters to go, I followed it and I felt really good. "
Joining Lagat in the semis will be 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials runner-up Leonel Manzano, who won the 1,500 at the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Championships at Drake Stadium. Manzano came off the final turn in heat one in sixth-place and moved up steadily throughout the final 150 meters before finishing second in 3:42.87.
Sharon Day, who competed in the 2009 Drake Relays invitational women's high jump, stood in eighth-place after the first day of competition in the women's heptathlon with her four-event total of 3,714 points.
Day, who competed in the 2008 Olympics, was runner up in the 2009 U.S. Outdoor Championships.
2009 USA Champs third-place finisher Bettie Wade, who finished third in the 2009 U.S. Outdoor Championships, is 27th with 2,875 points. Wade ran leg on Michigan's winning shuttle hurdle relay team at the 2007 and 2008 Drake Relays.
Two-time Drake Relays champion Jillian Schwartz, who was competing at her fourth World Outdoor Championships, finished the women's pole vault qualifying in 15th place at 14-9 and did not make the final. Schwartz, who won Drake Relays titles in 2002 and 2005, was fourth in the 2009 U.S. Outdoor Championships.
Two-time World Outdoor champion Stacy Dragila, who won the gold medal at the 2000 Olympicsl, finished 22nd in qualifying. Dragila set the current Drake Relays record in the women's pole vault at 15-1 3/4 in 2003.
Webster City, Iowa, native Jenny Barringer left her qualification status for the women's steeplechase in the balance until the final 50 meters of the second heat.
Barringer, who owns the Drake Stadium record in the event oat 9:29.20 in 2008, took the early lead and ran with the front pack the entire race.
Heading into the final 100 meters in fifth, she broke into a sprint after the final barrier, passing two competitors to finish third in 9:26.81 and automatically qualify for the final.
"I qualified," said Barringer. "I gave everyone a heart-attack, but I qualified. I was a little nervous. With two laps to go, I changed the game plan, don't try and take control of the race. It was getting a little aggressive up front. We weren't running especially fast. I calmed down a little bit. I gave myself some room to see and know what I wanted to do. I was really confident with 100 meters that I was going to catch that qualifying pack. I think when I re-watch the race, I'm going to realize I was a little farther behind than I thought. It was a physical race for sure. I was ready for that."
Shani Marks, who won the 2003 Drake Relays women's triple jump with an existing meet and Drake Stadium mark of 45-3, was 27th in qualifying in her speciality (44-10.25) and failed to advance into the finals.
Native Iowans Michael Mai and A.G. Kruger did not advance out of qualifying in the men's hammer throw.
Mai from LeMars, Iowa, was 21st at 238 -1. Kruger, a two-time Olympian and three-time U.S. Outdoor champion from was 28th at 230-3.
"Training, coaching and everything else felt great," said Kruger, a native of Sheldon, Iowa. "I just didn't put it together. It's just as simple as that. I'm going to go home and figure out what to do next year. I will figure it out one of these years. When I do, I will throw it far.
"It started off pretty good," said Mai. "I was happy with my first throw. I kind of missed it at the finish. My second throw was really looking great. I just pulled it at the finish. It was a good day for the most part. I had the speed. Everything was ready to go. I just didn't quite do what I was looking for. I haven't had a lot of volume this year. I'm trying to work on things. It just takes a long time. Hopefully, I will have some more chances in the next year."
