Publication Date: Wednesday, May 25, 2005
TRACK & FIELD
Godina is America's big shot once again
Godina is America's big shot once again
(May 25, 2005) Two-time Olympic medalist heads field for Payton Jordan U.S. Open at Stanford after throwing a career-best 72-10
by Keith Peters
He has won two Olympic medals in the shot put and owns three golds from the World Championships. For John Godina, however, his career has been stuck in neutral for nearly four years.
Godina, however, may have shoved his career back into gear after enjoying the best performance of his illustrious career last weekend at the adidas Track Classic in Carson.
The 33-year-old Godina posted a lifetime-best mark of 72 feet, 10 inches to win to surpass his previous best of 72-3 set in 1999. Godina's effort is the best in the world in 2005. His previous best this season was 71-7 1/2 indoors, while his outdoor best was 70-5.
Next up for Godina will be the Payton Jordan U.S. Open at Stanford's Cobb Track & Angell Field on May 30. Joining him in the field will be 2004 Olympic silver medalist Adam Nelson and fellow American Jamie Beyer.
The 6-0, 255-pound Nelson is one of America's all-time greats. He ranks fifth all-time with a career best of 73-10 1/4 in 2002 and has four of the top 20 throws in U.S. history. Twice he has won the Olympic silver medal. He was ranked second in the world in 2004 by Track & Field News magazine with a best of 71-1 1/2.
Nelson's best effort last season ranked just behind Godina's 71-2 3/4, which helped him earn the world's No. 7 ranking.
Godina, like Nelson, has two Olympic medals in the shot put. He took the silver in 1996 and the bronze in 2000. He owns three golds from the World Championships.
Beyer ranked No. 6 in the U.S. last season. Beyer got 2005 off to a good start with a best of 68-6, ranking him No. 4 in the world.
The IAAF Grant Prix II meet, a stop on the VISA Championship Series, will feature many of the finest world and American athletes who'll be continuing their preparation for the 2005 World Track & Field Championships this summer in Helsinki, Finland.
The men's pole vault will feature all three members of the 2004 Olympic team in gold medalist Tim Mack, silver medalist Toby Stevenson and Derek Miles.
Mack and Stevenson ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively, in the world last season. Mack's career best of 19-8 3/4 was the world leader and No. 3 mark in U.S. history, while Stevenson's career clearance of 19-8 1/4 was No. 2 in the world and tied him for No. 5 on the all-time U.S. list.
Mack and Stevenson combined for the top seven marks in the world in 2004. Mack won the Olympic gold medal with a 19-6 1/4 clearance while Stevenson took the silver with a mark of 19-4 1/4.
Leonard Scott, who beat former world recordholder Maurice Greene on Sunday in the adidas Track Classic with a fast 10.03, will be joined by Olympic relay member John Capel in the men's 100. Scott is tied for No. 2 in the world this season with Greene.
In featured athletes in Monday's meet:
2005 U.S. leader Khadevis Robinson in the men's 800 meters.
2004 U.S. Olympian Charlie Gruber in the men's 1,500 meters.
2004 Olympic shot putters Kristin Heaston and Jill Camarena.
Former U.S. national champion David Krummenacker in the men's 800.
2004 U.S. Olympians Jonathon Riley and Tim Broe in the men's 5,000.
The Payton Jordan U.S. Open will be televised by ESPN2 and shown on a tape-delayed basis (7-8:30 p.m.) that evening. A free Youth Clinic will be held at the track beginning at 10 a.m. All participants , 14 and under, will receive a general admission ticket.
The meet is named in honor of former Stanford track and field coach Payton Jordan, who brought the 1960 U.S. Olympic Trials and the famed 1962 U.S.-U.S.S.R. track meet to Stanford.
Tickets for the Memorial Day event are $35 for reserved seating and $15 for general admission, and can be purchased by phone at 1-800-STANFORD or in person at Stanford Athletic Department Ticket Office, Gate 2, at Stanford Stadium.
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