While the rest of his classmates donned their caps and gowns, Adam Nelson '97 traded in his graduation attire for a first place blue ribbon, winning the NCAA shotput championship in Bloomington, Ind. on June 8. His throw of 64-4 1/2 feet gave him the title by just over two feet over the second place finisher.
Nelson came into the competition in fourth place after the preliminary trials.Then, on his second throw, Nelson heaved his second toss for what would become the eventual winning throw. The throw not only gave him a place in the NCAA record books but rewrote the record books at Dartmouth, bettering his previous record of 62-9, set at last year's U.S. Olympic Trials in his hometown Atlanta.
The feat was also a significant improvement over his best throw the previous weekend at the IC4 track championships, where he managed to only throw just under 61 feet, more than three feet shorter than his championship toss.
The championship was the third national championship for a Big Green track and field member in the squad's history, and was the first title to come back to Hanover in the last 50 years.
The other two winners were Earl J. Thomson, who won the title in the 120 meter hurdles in 1921, and Don Burnham '44, who took the honors in the mile competition in 1943.
Nelson, who was named to the All-American squad in his junior year before claiming the title this year, is no stranger to winning large competitions. He won the gold medal in the 1994 World Junior Track and Field Championships in Lisbon, Portugal after his freshman year at Dartmouth.
During his four years at Dartmouth, he also earned four heptagonal titles, two IC4A titles and two New England championships in his junior and senior year.
Nelson is one of only two people to claim four straight outdoor heptagonal title. He was also a starting defensive lineman on the 1996 Big Green football team which won the Ivy League title with a perfect 10-0 record.
Also representing Dartmouth at the NCAA Track and Field Championship was senior Alex Ghanotakis who threw 201 feet in the hammer to take 15th place overall.
Finishing in the top of eight of U.S. contenders, Ghanotakis joined Nelson in earning a spot on the All-American team, the first time he received the honor.
Junior Jenna Rogers qualified to compete in the 5,000 meters, but dropped out of the race during the preliminary trials.
As a result of their performances, the two Big Green throwers secured spots for themselves in the USA Track and Field Championships last weekend.
