Carter and Dendy Shine on First Day of U.S. Championships

Published by IAAF on June 25, 2015

Although it is likely that most of the 8000 fans at Hayward Field had their eyes on the big names on the track on the first day of the US Championships, pride of place went to shot putter Michelle Carter and long jumper Marquise Dendy in Eugene on Thursday (25). 

Carter became just the third woman in the world to reach more than 20 metres this year when she won her ninth US title – six outdoors and three indoors – with her first round effort of 20.02m, just 22cm short of her US record set in 2013.

She quickly dismissed the opposition and she eventually won by more than a metre.

"I was ready for a big throw and it came out on the first one," reflected Carter.

It was the second best competition of her career and after a number of near-misses on the senior stage outdoors, including fourth at the last IAAF World Championships, the 2004 world junior champion will be aiming to finally climb the podium at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing.

By contrast, Marquise Dendy won his first national long jump title when he rode the back of a 3.7 metres-per-second following wind to fly out to 8.68m in the first round.