Mason Finley

Summary

Mason Finley (born October 7, 1990), is an American shot putter and discus thrower. He was on the track and field team at the University of Kansas before transferring to the University of Wyoming. He qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics in discus.

Mason Finley
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1990-10-07) October 7, 1990 (age 33)
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Height6 ft 8 in (203 cm)
Weight350 lb (159 kg)
Sport
SportShot put, discus throw
College teamUniversity of Wyoming
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing the  United States
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2017 London Discus throw
Summer Universiade
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Shenzhen Shot put
Pan American Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2009 Port of Spain Shot put
Gold medal – first place 2009 Port of Spain Discus throw

Early life edit

Finley was born in Kansas City, Missouri.[1] He attended Buena Vista High School (where he also played basketball and football) in Buena Vista, Colorado, and then the University of Kansas, before transferring to the University of Wyoming.[2]

For his high school dominance, Finley was named to the ESPN RISE 2000s All-Decade High School Track & Field Team.[3] He was also Track and Field News "High School Athlete of the Year" in 2009.[4]

Career edit

Finley set a Colorado high school record in discus with a throw of 236 feet 6 inches (72.09 m) during the High Altitude Challenge in Alamosa, Colorado. He also won gold medals in shot put and discus throw at the 2009 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships in Port of Spain, Trinidad. As a freshman at Kansas, he was All American in the shot put and the discus. His best throws as a freshman were 60.12m (197–3 ft.) in the discus and 20.68 meters (67-10.25 ft.) in the shot.

In 2017 Finley won the bronze medal in the discus throw event at the World Championships in London, throwing 68.03 meters. This breaks an 18-year drought of no American medalists in the discus throw, and marks the first time an American has placed in the men's discus throw since the World Championships in Seville, where Anthony Washington won the gold medal.[5]

He qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics after placing first in qualification with a throw of 63.07 metres (206.9 ft).[6]

References edit

  1. ^ "Student-Athlete of the Week: Mason Finley, Buena Vista", Denver Post, May 3, 2009
  2. ^ "Finley transfers to Wyoming", Wyoming Track and Field, August 22, 2012, archived from the original on February 27, 2013, retrieved February 13, 2013
  3. ^ "Boys track All-Decade All-Americans", ESPN RISE, December 23, 2009
  4. ^ "Track & Field News - the Bible of the Sport Since 1948". Archived from the original on August 18, 2016. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
  5. ^ "Discus Throw Men − Final − Results" (PDF). IAAF. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  6. ^ "Finley Qualifies for Tokyo Olympics". KUAthletics.com. June 25, 2021.

External links edit

Awards
Preceded by Track & Field News High School Boys Athlete of the Year
2009
Succeeded by