Assistant Track Coach Wins National Championship in Shot Put

PROVO -- BYU Cougar assistant women’s track and field coach Jillian Camarena-Williams competed in the USA Indoor Championships and World Indoor Championships within the past month, winning a National Championship and breaking personal records along the way.

“Competing at the USA National Championships was great,” Camarena-Williams said. “I have been training well and I was really excited to throw against the top girls in the U.S. I won the meet, but my technique was not great and it left me wanting more.”

Camarena-Williams competed in the women’s shot put at the meet, and threw 18.63-meters (61-01.50) to earn the victory. The win gave Camarena-Williams her sixth Indoor National Championship for the shot put in six years.

Her first place finish also allowed her to represent the USA in the World Indoor Championships in Doha, Qatar from March 12-16. Camarena-Williams was one of two competitors in the women’s shot put from the USA.

“I have been able to train really hard this year, and that has helped a lot,” Camarena-Williams said. “I was injury ridden the past few seasons, and it was frustrating. This year I have stayed healthy and have been enjoying track again.”

Camarena-Williams started off the competition well, placing fifth in preliminaries with a season-best throw of 18.85-meters and was the only USA competitor to advance to the finals.

On the final day of the meet, Camarena-Williams threw a personal record 19.34-meters to garner a sixth place finish at the meet. The place was the highest at a World Championships for Camarena-Williams, topping her previous best finish of seventh.

“This was my third World Championships,” Camarena-Williams said. “In my first experience, I got really sick in Russia and placed seventh. At my next Worlds competition in Spain I was miserable the entire time with a back problem and did not compete well. This time I finished sixth and threw my best ever, so I am happy.”

Camarena-Williams will now continue training in preparation for the outdoor season. Her future goals include competing in the 2012 London Olympics, placing in the top three at a World Championships and breaking the American shot put record.