THOMAS SCORES HUGE UPSET VICTORY IN SHOT PUT WITH HISTORIC THROW
AT NEW BALANCE NATIONALS
By Jim Lambert
NEW YORK - Zyra Thomas pulled off a shocking victory when the senior at Schalick launched a historic and huge personal best throw of 47-5.75 to capture the girls shot put title in upset fashion at the New Balance National Indoor Championships on Saturday at the 168th Street Armory in Manhattan.
Thomas, who came into the meet with a PR of 45-5, exploded with her two-foot plus PR bomb on her third throw of the trials as she edged Payden Montana of Berwick, Pa., second with a 47-2.5.
Thomas is the third straight New Jersey girl to win the shot put at NBIN. Nickolette Dunbar of Whippany Park (now at LSU) won in 2016, and Alyssa Wilson of Donovan Catholic (now at UCLA) captured the title last year. Wilson is the national high school indoor and outdoor record holder in the shot put.
Shelby Bigsby of Montclair, who came into the meet with a US #1 throw of 50-2, placed sixth with a 45-0.5. Thomas, who came into the indoor season with PR of 43-7.25 that she threw to place fifth at the Meet of Champions June finished second to Bigsby at the N.J. Meet of Champions last month.
According to South Jersey track and field expert Reuben Frank, the 47- 5 ¾ by Thomas shattered the South Jersey indoor record of 46-1.5 set last year by Najeaya Singleton of neighboring Vineland at the state Group 4 meet, and the overall S.J. mark of 47-1.25 set by Cherokee's Jessica Woodard of Cherokee at the 2013 outdoor Meet of Champions. Woodard placed third for Oklahoma in the shot put at the NCAA Championships this past Friday.
Thomas is the first athlete (boy or girl) from the Tri-County Conference to win a New Balance Indoor National title.
Girls Championship Shot Put Results
Finals
1 Thomas, Zyra 18 Vineland, NJ 14.47m 47-05.75
13.87m FOUL 14.47m FOUL FOUL FOUL
2 Montana, Payden 18 Berwick, PA 14.39m 47-02.50
13.60m 14.27m 13.55m 13.45m 14.39m 13.28m
3 Lindeman, Chloe 19 Fulton, IL J14.39m 47-02.50
13.64m FOUL 14.39m 13.90m 13.71m 13.81m
4 Fraley, Veronica 18 Raleigh, NC 14.35m 47-01.00
14.03m 14.20m 13.98m 14.03m 14.18m 14.35m
5 Clark, Alexis 18 Fredericksburg, VA 14.22m 46-08.00
14.22m 14.09m 14.09m 13.67m 13.77m 13.53m
6 Bigsby, Shelby 18 Montclair, NJ 13.72m 45-00.25
FOUL 13.47m 13.71m FOUL 13.65m 13.72m
7 Vasen, Emma 18 Ocean, NJ J13.72m 45-00.25
FOUL 12.94m 13.72m FOUL 12.68m FOUL
8 Garabian, Cameron 19 Seekonk, MA 13.24m 43-05.25
11.90m 11.85m 13.24m 12.35m 12.15m 12.74m
9 Beasley, Kayla 18 Durham, NC 13.10m 42-11.75
13.10m 12.73m FOUL
10 Donner, Rachel 18 East Aurora, NY 12.29m 40-04.00
FOUL 12.29m FOUL
11 Johnson, Morgan 19 Fayetteville, GA 12.12m 39-09.25
10.93m 11.72m 12.12m
12 Rigel, Grace 18 Leipsic, OH 11.81m 38-09.00
11.81m 11.46m 11.29m