Canadian Scott Russell is in no hurry to return to his native country.
Russell, who’s favored to win the weight throw at this weekend’s Big 12 championships in Lincoln, Neb., is “pretty sure” he will red-shirt this upcoming outdoor track season.
“I am thinking about red-shirting so I will have a full year next year,” said Russell, now in his fourth full season at Kansas.
The 6-foot-9, 270-pounder from Windsor, Ontario, has one season of indoor eligibility remaining and needs another school year of classwork to complete a double major in pre-physical therapy and athletics training.
“I think my points next year would help the team win. With the freshman recruiting class coming in, plus my points and others’ points, we could do very well at the conference meet and NCAAs next year,” Russell said.
“I’ve trained specifically for the weight throw this indoor season. With a red-shirt, I would concentrate on some bigger meets coming up this summer like the Canadian championships and world championships.”
Russell’s specialty outdoors is the javelin.
He enters this weekend’s Big 12 Indoor as a four-time Big 12 champ and three-time All-American. He placed fifth in the weight throw at the 1999 NCAA Indoor, third in the javelin at the ’99 NCAA Outdoor and second in the weight throw at the ’98 Indoor.
Russell set a school record in the weight throw (73-81/2) at the Kansas Invitational on Feb. 2 at Anschutz Pavilion.
“I’ve been healthy the whole season,” said Russell, who has had knee problems in the past. “My knee is bothering me a little now, but I’ve been healthier than the past two to three years.
“I go to the Big 12 trying to win for the team. That’s what I always do. I try to score as many points as possible. I definitely want 10 points there.”
Russell also will compete in the shot put and hopes to pick up a point or two for the Jayhawks in that event.
Overall, however, he has bigger goals than the Big 12 in mind.
“(This is) a warmup for the NCAAs,” Russell said. “I think we are looking at having some great individual performances at the NCAAs this year.”
Russell is one of Canada’s most accomplished collegiate track athletes. He won the javelin at last year’s Canadian Olympic Trials. However, his throw wasn’t long enough to meet Canadian Olympic standards.
“Winning it was great. It was disappointing I didn’t have the A-standard,” Russell said. “If it was the United States trials I’d have made the team (top three finishers make the U.S. team in each event). It was a great experience for me. The crowd there was amazing, backing me on every throw.”
KU fans will be able to see Russell throw the javelin at this year’s Kansas Relays (April 18-21 outside Memorial Stadium). Even if he red-shirts, he’d compete unattached.
