At 6-foot-81/2, 270 pounds, Scott Russell might be the biggest javelin thrower in track and field history.
“I’m a freak. I’m an oddball,” Russell, Kansas University’s massive junior weightman, joked Friday after devouring the competition at the Kansas Relays.
Russell, a good seven inches taller than the average javelin flinger, threw 239-feet. Darin File, an unattached competitor, placed second in 227 feet.
“I was inconsistent, which I didn’t want to be this week,” Russell said. “I had an off day.”
Still, the Windsor, Ontario, native was happy to win his second event in his first Kansas Relays. Russell, who won the hammer on Thursday, will try for a third title today. He will throw the discus at 3:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.
“I can’t be unhappy with how I did today,” Russell said. “Really all I want to do this season is throw big at the Big 12s, NCAAs and hopefully the (Olympic) trials and if I get to the big show, the Olympics.”
Russell is ranked No. 1 in the NCAA in the javelin. He needs a heave of 269 to make the Canadian Olympic team. His personal best is 259.
“I’m trying every week to go out and get it,” Russell said. “My training will allow me to throw big toward the end of the season.”
Russell threw before a big home crowd on Friday. It was a welcome sight for Russell, who until this week had never experienced an outdoor meet on KU’s campus.
“I can always hear it. The yelling always helps,” he said. “I can honestly say this is one of the first times throwing the javelin I came to the meet a little nervous. After the first throw I was fine.”
KU teammate Ryan Speers was one of the spectators cheering on Russell. Earlier Friday, Speers won the Relays collegiate shot put with a throw of 57-11/2. Wichita State’s Brad Johnson was second in 51-71/4.
Speers’ victory was impressive, considering he entered at the last minute.
“It feels good to get a win. I was not even scheduled to throw,” Speers said. “They only had seven of 16 guys show up. I said, ‘I’ll throw if you want me to.’ I’ll never turn down the opportunity to throw.”
Speers, who will compete in the open shot put at 2 p.m. today, raced from one end of the stadium to another to locate his shoes, then participated.
“I felt this was a good opportunity to get two meets in one weekend,” said Speers, a Sabetha native. “I wasn’t mentally prepared to throw today. There were some things I’d handle better tomorrow. I usually have an easy first throw that goes 57. Today I had to push to get 57.”
KU’s men’s and women’s sprint medley relay teams claimed victories.
Jennie Wonder, Eniola Ajayi, Sherre Khan Blackmon and Bridget Morrissey crossed in 4:04.36, more than four seconds ahead of Western Illinois. KU’s men’s team of Jabari Wamble, Kevin Lewis, Andy Morris and Charlie Gruber won in 3:21.46, edging Barton County CC (3:23.16).
KU’s Andrea Bulat placed second in the women’s javelin in 155-7. Another second was notched by KU’s four-mile relay team (Craig Hettche, Brian Blachly, Kevin McGinn, Andy Tate, 17:03.48).