Terron Armstead has waited for three years to get to the NCAA Track and Field Championships.
Now that the Arkansas-Pine Bluff junior is in Des Moines, Iowa, for the championships, he had to wait three days before even competing.
Armstead will finally be able to flex his muscles today as one of 24 competitors in the shot put.
“I am really anxious to be competing on this big stage,” Armstead said. “I’ve been thinking about it since I go there. I’ve just been trying to chill since I got here and I will settle myself down. I am very ready.”
Armstead finished in 10th place with a throw of 61 feet, 5.5 inches at the West Regional meet in Austin, Texas, to qualify for the championships. That was Armstead’s best throw of the year and ranks him 17th out of the 24 competitors.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Hayden Baillio, of Texas, has the top throw in the nation this year at 65-4.4. Fourteen throwers at the championship have throws of at least 62-4.
Armstead is throwing in the second of the two flights today. Each competition has three throws in the preliminary round, and the top nine throwers will advance to the finals for three more throws.
Since Armstead does not rank in the top nine right now and has not thrown over 62 feet, he said his chances are a bit low to make it to the finals.
“It’s kind of slim but not too bad because any thing can happen on competition day,” he said. “Some guys are in it for points for their team and that is a lot of pressure on them. I really have nothing to lose so I am going to go out there and try to throw my personal best.”
Armstead knows he will have to throw 62 or 63 feet to even have a shot at the finals, which would be a personal best for him. But he has surprised himself in the past.
“I surprised myself with the throw at regions, so I will go out there and do my best,” he said. “Just give it my best.”
Even if Armstead does not make the finals, he was still able to be one of the top 24 shot putters in the nation this year.
“It’s a really big thing and a great opportunity to get out here and throw at something like this,” he said. “It’s an elite group of throwers and I am happy to be part of it.”