Liberty University
Virginia Tech Challenge
Mitchell Wins on Big Day for Flames' Shot Putters at VT
2/20/2021 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Liberty senior Kyle Mitchell made it back-to-back victories with a 60-1.25 shot put effort, Saturday at the Virginia Tech Challenge inside Rector Field House. The competition also saw Jose Ballivian (59-5.5) and Warren Barrett (59-0.75) become the fifth and sixth Flames ever to throw over 18 meters.
Mitchell, the defending ASUN indoor men's shot put champion, took control on Saturday with his 60-1.25 mark in round five. He will enter Friday's ASUN shot put competition on a two-meet winning streak after also taking top honors at the Darius Dixon Memorial Invitational.
Ballivian placed third, thanks to a lifetime-best 59-5.5 effort on his sixth and final throw. That performance ranks the 2019 ASUN indoor men's shot put titlist No. 4 all-time, both at Liberty and in the ASUN Conference.
First-year Flame Warren Barrett followed in fourth place, landing exactly on the 18-meter (59-0.75) line twice during Saturday's competition. He now ranks No. 5 all-time in the ASUN and No. 6 on Liberty's all-time list.
All three Flames defeated 2021 ASUN Conference leader Tyler Blalock of Kennesaw State on Saturday, as the Owls senior came in sixth at 58-6.5.
Makenzy Mizera was Liberty's only other athlete to compete in Blacksburg on Saturday. She posted a runner-up finish in the women's triple jump at 41-7.75. The junior recorded an impressive series, with each of her last five attempts measuring 41 feet or longer.
Men's Event Winners (1)
Kyle Mitchell – Shot Put – 60-1.25
Women's Top 3 Finishers
2nd – Makenzy Mizera – Triple Jump – 41-7.75
Other Men's Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Jose Ballivian – Shot Put – 59-5.5
Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
Shot Put – No. 4 – Jose Ballivian – 59-5.5
Shot Put – No. 6 – Warren Barrett – 59-0.75
Up Next
Liberty will host the ASUN Indoor Track & Field Championships for the fourth consecutive year, Friday and Saturday at the Liberty Indoor Track Complex. Events are scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. Friday morning and 9:45 a.m. Saturday morning.
Both the Flames and Lady Flames enter the meet as two-time defending ASUN team champions.
