For the the reigning silver medalist Tim Nedow, Wednesday night’s shot put final at the Pan American Games in Peru came within one round of going according to plan – with a spot on the medal podium.
Nedow set the tone early on with with a heave of 20.47 metres that firmly place him in the silver medal position, but as the rounds progressed he had trouble finding his rhythm in the seven foot circle. Leaving the ring, the look on his face would tell the story of close, but no cigar.
The sixth and final round was a cracker of a competition with five of the eight participants better their marks – including Nedow. The fireworks resulted in Mexican record holder Uziel Munoz and American Jordan Geist both leap frogging Nedow and knocking him off the podium. Unfortunately for Nedow, his response of 20.48 metres would leave him in fourth.
“It was a crazy last round, I really wish I could have responded. I thought I threw a bit further, it’s unfortunate that I came a bit short,” Nedow told Athletics Canada after the competition. “At these Championships I wanted to either medal or have a good throw. I didn’t do either so Worlds is still my big goal. I’m feeling healthy and I will keep training while I’m down here. I’m going to have to throw further than that at the World Championships.”
In the hurdles, Keira Christie-Galloway completed her longest season on record with an 11th place finish at the Pan American Games. The 19 year old was seventh in her semi-final with a time of 13.57 seconds, well off her season’s best of 13.10 seconds set back in May at the Big 12 Championships.