Jelmini wins shot put at USA junior nationals

EUGENE, Ore. -- Late night? College competition? No problem. Anna Jelmini is a champion again anyway.

Jelmini, a Shafter High graduate, won the junior national championship in the shot put Friday, just hours after competing in the senior discus event on Thursday night at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Hayward Field.

Her best throw was 53 feet even, enough to out-distance the field by 3 feet, 7 inches. She hit that mark on her second of three attempts.

This came after Jelmini finished seventh in the discus among all U.S. competitors the night before.

"This morning I was a little groggy because I had such a late night," Jelmini said in a statement released by USATF. "But it was exciting to make the final in the women's discus, and I wanted to try and bring some of that excitement with me to the shot put."

Jelmini actually trailed after her first throw Friday, a 47-4.5 effort. But her second throw was the big one, and she followed that up with a 49-11.5 that also would have won the national title.

Jelmini competes in the junior discus championship at 9 this morning. Tonight, Taft native Billy Nelson goes for gold in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.