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Justin Nutter/The Duncan Banner Duncan grad Austin Perry will compete in the Junior National track and field championships this week in Eugene, Ore. Justin Nutter/The Duncan Banner

June 20, 2011

Perry ready to throw in national meet

Justin Nutter The Duncan Banner The Duncan Banner Mon Jun 20, 2011, 10:20 PM CDT

DUNCAN — During his career as a thrower, Duncan High alum Austin Perry has been in some big meets.

From the Class 5A state championships to the Great Southwest meet earlier this summer in New Mexico, the 2011 graduate has put his talents to the test against some of the best athletes in the Midwest.

Starting this week, however, the stakes are even higher.

Perry has set his sights to the national stage, as he continues preparation for the Junior National outdoor track and field championships, which will take place Thursday through Sunday in Eugene, Ore. The event will take place at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field.

“This is leaps and bounds ahead of anything I’ve gone to yet. It’s ages 20 and under, so there are going to be a bunch of college kids there, too.”

The Oklahoma signee enters the competition as the fourth-ranked shot putter in the nation. He’s seeded second at the meet behind Kyle McKelvey of Beresford, S.D. The top two spots may be occupied by high schoolers, but Perry said he knows he’ll be up against athletes with collegiate experience.

He added he’ll have to be on top of his game to have a shot at a gold medal.

“Me and Kyle are going in at one and two. There’s a kid from Georgia going in at third and a kid from Stanford going in at fourth. Those are very respectable college to throw at, so I’m going to be throwing against some of the big boys.”

The invitation to Junior Nationals came shortly following the 2011 state championship, where Perry broke the meet record with a personal-best throw of 67-08.

While he has been regarded as one of the nation’s best for his whole senior year, he said the news came as a shock to everyone, including him.

“Coach (Todd) Ledford called me into his room and said he had a letter for me. He started reading it to me and by the time he’d finished reading it, my jaw just dropped. I was just starting at him kind of awestruck.”

Throwers will use shots weighing six kilograms — approximately 1.2 pounds heavier than 12-pound shots used in high school. Because of the weight increase, Perry said he doesn’t think he’ll recreate the throw he had at state, but he’s still confident that he can throw well past the 60-foot mark.

He also said he’s placed a lot of emphasis on his throwing motion, which ultimately cost him a shot at first place in the Great Southwest meet.

“Right now, if I can go over 62 or 63 (feet), I think I’ll be happy, but I’m hoping for more than that,” he said. “For the last few weeks, coming out of the Great Southwest and going into nationals, I’ve really been trying to work my technique a lot more so I don’t get caught off guard like I did there. It’s working pretty well.”

Perry and Duncan throwing coach Tim Buben will fly to Eugene on Thursday. The shot put is set for 10:50 a.m. on Friday.

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