The summer just keeps getting better for Bobby Colantonio.
Last month the Barrington hammer-thrower won the national title in the age 15-16 division at the Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships in Texas.
On Sunday, Colantonio was back in his element at the annual Sons of Italy Throwers Championship where he established a national sophomore class record for the 16-pound hammer. The Eagle standout smashed the old mark by more than six feet with a heave of 192-9. Colantonio broke the 2006 record of 186-3 by Georgia’s Wes Wright on his first toss of the series with a 188-4 effort. His best distance came on his fourth attempt.
In four of his five throws at Mount Pleasant's Conley Stadium, Colantonio surpassed Wright’s record. He also moved to No. 1 nationally with the 16-pound apparatus, just ahead of Tahoma (Va.) High senior Brock Eager, whose best is 190-11.
If that was enough, Colantonio also took the high school hammer (12 lbs.) with a personal best of 233-3. Teammate Adam Kelly was second at 221-10. Colantonio’s throw moved him into the second spot nationally, just behind St. Pius X (Ga.) senior Daniel Haugh’s best of 235-4.
Kelly didn’t go home empty handed. In the 5 kg. hammer, he broke the mark of former Barrington all-stater Charlie Ionata with a winning heave of 227-4. Ionata's old record was 209-11 from 2012.
The female division also had a meet record with Warwick’s Courtney Jacobsen taking the event with a distance of 180-1. Her effort was nearly 13-feet further than the 2013 mark of Classical’s Alva Hicks. Hicks placed second in Sunday’s competition with a PB of 178-1. Makeena Thomas of Narragansett (third, 170-8) and East Greenwich’s Lauren Swanson (fourth, 169-11) also bettered the previous record.
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3-kilos (7-lbs.) - 1, Jacobsen 180-1 (54.89); 2, Hicks 178-1 (54.38); 3, Thomas 170-8 (52.03); 4, Lauren Swanson, EG 169-11 (51.81); 5, Timpson 163-4 (49.78); 6, Taft 128-9 (39.25); 7, Coble 100-10 (30.74).
12-pound - 1, Colantonio 233-3 (71.10); 2, Adam Kelly, Barr. 221-10 (67.63); 4, Connor Fugere, Woons. 189-2 (57.66); 5, Alvernaz 178-7 (54.43); 6, Gray 162-3 (49.46); 7, Jake Brierly, Linc. 160-4 (48.86); 8, Raikwon Woodmansee, Woons., 155-3 (47.32); 9, Vallee 149-8 (45.63); 10, Jamie Heinl, Barr. 147-10 (45.06); 11, Joey Palazzo, Prov. 139-5 (42.50); 12, Dilyn Cote, Woons. 138-9 (42.31); 13, Homer Lafond, 120-5 (36.71).
5-kilos (11-lbs.) - 1, Kelly 227-4 (69.31); 2, Jared Brierly, Linc. 191-0 (58,22); 3, Woodmansee 164-2 (50.05); 4, Heinl 156-9 (47.79); 5, Lafond 138-2 (42.13).
6-kilos (13-lbs.) - 1, Fugere 181-1 (55.19); 2, Brierle 164-1 (50.01); 3, Cote 127-6 (38.86); 4, Jared Greenless, Woons. 120-11 (36.86).