INDIANAPOLIS
? Idaho thrower Russ Winger took seventh in the men’s discus throw on a rainy day Sunday at the United States Outdoor Track and Field Championships to complete an impressive weekend for the Vandal senior.
"I felt pretty good about making the finals in two events," Winger said. "Considering the conditions, I guess I threw well. I hate to blame it on the weather, but there just wasn’t as much energy there as usual with all the rain."
Winger threw 190-10 in the face of rainy conditions to bring home a seventh-place finish to go with his sixth-place throw in the shot put on Saturday.
"I think it’s a great experience for him to be at this caliber of a meet and to be a finalist in both events," throws coach Julie Taylor said. "He’s getting a chance to compete against the world’s best. There are some good things to come."
Winger, a three-time All-American, believes that the he is throwing better this season because he has more big-meet experience.
"I just feel like I’ve got a lot more meet experience. When you get to this level, the guys who have the most experience are the most consistent and they are the ones who have the most success," Winger said.
Winger said that the meet will most likely be his last of the outdoor season and that he’s ready to rest and prepare for "the big season" next year.
-IDAHO-