Heavy Artillery hits the Visa men’s shot put

INDIANAPOLIS - Christian Cantwell, Adam Nelson and Reese Hoffa are giants of the shot put, literally and figuratively. Since 2000, they've claimed the 2005 World Outdoor title (Nelson), two Olympic silver medals (Nelson), and the 2004 (Cantwell) and 2006 (Hoffa) World Indoor titles. Compatriot John Godina also won the 2001 World Indoor and Outdoor crowns.

Basically, if you're American and have a 16-pound steel ball in your hand, everybody else should look out. Fans will have plenty to look for at the AT&T USA Outdoor Champions at Mike Carroll Stadium.

At 6-5 and well over 300 pounds, Cantwell has posted the farthest marks of recent years and is the 2004 World Indoor champion, and he is the 2005 USA Outdoor Champion. He has twice won the AT&T USA Indoor Championships, including in 2007 when he won the overall Visa Championship as the top performer of the Visa Championship Series. His personal best of 22.54 meters/73 feet, 11.5 inches, from 2004, is the farthest of anyone in the field, but not by much.

Adam Nelson, the world's most successful shot putter since 2000, has a best of 22.51m/73-10.25, from 2002. He has won four U.S. outdoor titles since 2000 in addition to his Olympic medals and world title. After being disappointed with his Olympic silver in 2004, he came back with a vengeance to win an emotional World Championships gold medal in 2005. He started business school in the fall in 2006, working on his MBA at the University of Virginia, so he's spent this year training and has competed sparingly. He'll be hard to miss here - just look for the blonde guy storming around, throwing his shirt in the ring before he throws.

Last year was a big one for Hoffa, who won the U.S. and world titles indoors, threw his personal best of 22.11 meters/72-6.5 inches, and was ranked #1 in the world by Track & Field News magazine. Once called "the Unknown Shot Putter," Hoffa is now universally known as one of the world's best. He finished second to Nelson at the USA Outdoor Championships and was runner-up to Cantwell at the 2007 AT&T USA Indoor Championships.

To this triptych of throwers comes Dan Taylor, the 2004 NCAA indoor shot put and weight throw champion. Taylor won the 2007 Reebok Boston Indoor Games with a toss of 21.57m/70-9 1/4, and is largely considered to be the leader of the next generation. Of the more experienced generation is John Godina, the three-time world outdoor champion and two-time Olympic medalist. At 35 years old, Godina has battled injuries recently but likely will compete. Also look out for Garrett Johnson, the 2006 NCAA indoor and outdoor champion from Florida State who was a 2005 Rhodes Scholar.

FAST FACTS

World record: 23.12 meters/75 feet, 10 1/4 inches, Randy Barnes, 1986

American record: 23.12 meters/75 feet, 10 1/4 inches, Randy Barnes, 1986

Meet record: 22.22 meters/72 feet, 11 inches, Adam Nelson, 2002

Time schedule: Final 12:40 p.m. Saturday

DID YOU KNOW? ...

* Cantwell, Hoffa and Nelson accounted for the 12 top throws in the world in 2006 and 14 of the top 15 throws.

* Cantwell could very well have an "I'd Rather Be Fishing" bumper sticker on his car. Fishing, hunting and the outdoors rank #1 on his list of recreational activities.

* Nelson is a Dartmouth grad who has worked in finance in addition to dabbling in acting.

* Hoffa has competed while wearing a cape and mask, and his dream is to throw while wearing a bear suit. His mother is a seamstress and could sew the suit for him, and he'd like to be brought onto the track in a cage while wearing the suit. We are not making this up.

* Dan Taylor was a member of Team USA for the inaugural IAAF World Youth Championships in Poland in 1999.