Davie County's Spencer Williams has been as consistent as he could be in the 2022 Outdoor season as he could be. But he kept falling just short of the North Carolina Shot Put State Record of 63-6.5 set by Dennis Barron in 1982. He held a season-best of 62-8.75 entered today's NCHSAA 4A Midwest Regional, good for NC#4 All-Time Outdoors.
Today, Williams broke Barron's state record, not once, but three times in the regional competition.
He first launched a 63-10.5 to finally get over the hump early in the competition to put the State Record behind him. He'd then go on to put some distance on the 40-year-old state record with throws of 64-10.5 and the official new North Carolina Outdoor State Record of 66-2.5 to win the competition.
North Carolina All-Time Shot Put Rankings
| RANK | MARK | ATHLETE/TEAM | GRADE | MEET DATEPLACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 66-2.5 | 2022 | ||
| 2 | 63-6.5 | 1982 | ||
| 3 | 63-0 | 1973 | ||
| 4 | 62-9.5 | 1984 | ||
| 5 | 62-5 | 1976 | ||
| 6 | 62-0.5 | 2015 | ||
| 7 | 61-10 | 2009 | ||
| 8 | 61-8.5 | 1975 | ||
| 9 | 61-8 | 2008 | ||
| 10 | 61-7 | 2022 |
In February of 2021 in the first real track competition back from COVID shutting down NCHSAA competition, Williams threw a massive PR of 60-3.5. He would clear 60 feet in 10 additional meets after that over the next year and a half inching closer and closer to the state record.
Leading up to the regional meet Williams had thrown from 60-5.75 to 62-8.75 in his four previous competitions. It was without a doubt that with so much consistency he was due for a major breakthrough.
Shot Put
While today was a breakthrough in the Shot Put, Williams holds similar consistency in the Discus. He has thrown 189-9 this season and 189-2 today. Through 6 meets Outdoors his worst mark is 181-5 which was in the first meet of the season. Don't be surprised to see a big breakthrough come for Williams at next week's NCHSAA 4A State Championship or in the postseason at national meets!
North Carolina Discus All-Time Rankings
| RANK | MARK | ATHLETE/TEAM | GRADE | MEET DATEPLACE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 213-9 | 2016 | ||
| 2 | 197-10 | 1988 | ||
| 3 | 192-0 | 2019 | ||
| 4 | 191-2 | 2010 | ||
| 5 | 189-9 | 2022 |