Sam Crouser throws javelin 255-4, breaks his own national record

Story by Lev Rourke
Photos: Rick Russell / Kim Spir

 PORTLAND – Sam Crouser, after taking two weeks off since the state meet, threw the javelin an astonishing 255-4 Saturday evening at the low-key Portland ThRose Festival meet at the Wilkins Center, to break the national high school record by more than 10 feet.

Crouser, the recent graduate of Gresham High School and a signee by the University of Oregon, broke his own record of 244-2, set in the spring. The previous record had been 241-11, set in 1988. It also established a new record for American Juniors (under age 20). Crouser is 18.

Crouser’s throw, recorded on the same day as the NCAA Division I Championships were concluding 100 miles south in Eugene, ironically was farther than the winning throw in that meet. The Oregon Ducks, Crouser’s future team, would have won the men’s team championship had they won the javelin.

As it was, they had the pre-meet favorite in the event, Cyrus Hostetler, but Hostetler failed to score. High school and college athletes throw the same implement. The winning throw in the NCAA meet was 250-1 by Craig Kinsley of Brown University.

Results: