Bobby Colantonio has been a frequent flyer lately with still more miles to come.
His latest trip via the airways earned the Barrington High junior a gold medal and a new state record.
Competing in the USATF Junior National Track & Field Championships this past weekend in Eugene, Oregon, Colantonio captured the 6 kilogram hammer with a toss of 232 feet, 5 inches. Finishing second was a familiar opponent, recently-graduated teammate Adam Kelly, with a distance of 228-7.
Colantonio broke the existing R.I. mark of 230-04 by Kelly earlier this year.
"Today, I felt good," Colantono told MileSplit. "I really wanted to come here and get a huge mark and pull out the victory."
Colantonio will be back in back in the hammer circle this coming weekend in Chicago at the IAAF World Junior Youth Trials. A top-three finish earns a berth to the World Youth Championships in Columbia, July 15-19.
Colantonio, who won his second straight hammer state title this past spring and finished second to Kelly at the New Balance Nationals in North Carolina last week, talked with MileSplit after his latest win.