Saturday, April 13
Los Angeles, Calif.
12:30 PM ET/9:30 AM PT
Liberty University
at
Jim Bush Legends Invitational
Ben Shughart
Shughart, Watts Sweep Jim Bush Legends Invitational Javelin Titles
4/13/2024 10:04:00 PM | Track and Field
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Liberty's Ben Shughart and Addilae Watts swept the men's and women's javelin titles at the Jim Bush Legends Invitational on a wet Saturday at UCLA's Drake Stadium.
Men's Meet Recap
The first Flame to compete Saturday morning, Shughart entered with a personal best of 214-9 and a season best of 210-4. His second attempt eclipsed both marks, measuring 221-6. Then Shughart's next throw was even better, reaching 226-9.
That performance enabled Shughart to win the competition by more than 30 feet, climb to No. 4 in program history and cement his second consecutive trip to the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet.
Liberty's men's throws crew nearly snagged a second victory, but John Hicks' 209-7 effort fell just 10 inches shy of men's hammer champion Kris Emig from host UCLA. He ended up second in the competition with freshman teammate Kellen Kimes third at 194-10.
The meet's final scheduled event, the men's discus invitational section, was cancelled due to the wet weather in Los Angeles.
Women's Meet Recap
Watts was just as dominant in the women's javelin as Shughart had been in the men's event, with a top effort of 148-6 that outdistanced her nearest competitor by 31 feet.
Watts became the second Lady Flame to win a women's javelin competition in California this week, following Kali Grayson's triumph at Thurday's Pacific Coast Invitational in Long Beach.
Watts has placed inside the top 10 of all five of her javelin competitions during her first season at Liberty, winning two of them (also the Bob Davidson Team Challenge on March 22).
Paola Bueno led for much of the women's hammer competition before being passed by a pair of UCLA Bruins in the last two rounds. The sophomore ended up third at 187-10. Annika Hantho (178-7) joined her in the top five with one of her two fifth-place showings on the day (also women's discus – 148-0).
Megan Mann recorded a pair of top-five placements as well, taking third in the women's discus (156-8) and fifth in the women's shot put (46-8.25).
Men's Event Winners
Ben Shughart – Javelin – 226-9
Women's Event Winners
Addilae Watts – Javelin – 148-6
Other Men's Top 3 Finishers
2nd – John Hicks – Hammer – 209-7
3rd – Kellen Kimes – Hammer – 194-10
Other Women's Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Paola Bueno – Hammer – 187-10
3rd – Megan Mann – Discus – 156-8
New Men's NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round Qualifiers
Ben Shughart – Javelin – 226-9
Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
Javelin – No. 4 – Ben Shughart – 226-9
Up Next
Liberty will be back in Charlottesville for the second consecutive weekend, competing in the Virginia Challenge (April 19-20). A group of Flames and Lady Flames will also stay in the Hill City for Randolph's WildCat Invitational on April 20.
Men's Meet Recap
The first Flame to compete Saturday morning, Shughart entered with a personal best of 214-9 and a season best of 210-4. His second attempt eclipsed both marks, measuring 221-6. Then Shughart's next throw was even better, reaching 226-9.
That performance enabled Shughart to win the competition by more than 30 feet, climb to No. 4 in program history and cement his second consecutive trip to the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round meet.
Liberty's men's throws crew nearly snagged a second victory, but John Hicks' 209-7 effort fell just 10 inches shy of men's hammer champion Kris Emig from host UCLA. He ended up second in the competition with freshman teammate Kellen Kimes third at 194-10.
The meet's final scheduled event, the men's discus invitational section, was cancelled due to the wet weather in Los Angeles.
Women's Meet Recap
Watts was just as dominant in the women's javelin as Shughart had been in the men's event, with a top effort of 148-6 that outdistanced her nearest competitor by 31 feet.
Watts became the second Lady Flame to win a women's javelin competition in California this week, following Kali Grayson's triumph at Thurday's Pacific Coast Invitational in Long Beach.
Watts has placed inside the top 10 of all five of her javelin competitions during her first season at Liberty, winning two of them (also the Bob Davidson Team Challenge on March 22).
Paola Bueno led for much of the women's hammer competition before being passed by a pair of UCLA Bruins in the last two rounds. The sophomore ended up third at 187-10. Annika Hantho (178-7) joined her in the top five with one of her two fifth-place showings on the day (also women's discus – 148-0).
Megan Mann recorded a pair of top-five placements as well, taking third in the women's discus (156-8) and fifth in the women's shot put (46-8.25).
Men's Event Winners
Ben Shughart – Javelin – 226-9
Women's Event Winners
Addilae Watts – Javelin – 148-6
Other Men's Top 3 Finishers
2nd – John Hicks – Hammer – 209-7
3rd – Kellen Kimes – Hammer – 194-10
Other Women's Top 3 Finishers
3rd – Paola Bueno – Hammer – 187-10
3rd – Megan Mann – Discus – 156-8
New Men's NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round Qualifiers
Ben Shughart – Javelin – 226-9
Updates to Liberty's All-Time Men's Top 10 List
Javelin – No. 4 – Ben Shughart – 226-9
Up Next
Liberty will be back in Charlottesville for the second consecutive weekend, competing in the Virginia Challenge (April 19-20). A group of Flames and Lady Flames will also stay in the Hill City for Randolph's WildCat Invitational on April 20.
Players Mentioned
Hammer
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Throws
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Throws
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Throws
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Throws
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Throws
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Javelin
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Javelin
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