Alabama’s Bobby Colantonio Jr. Wins National Indoor Title
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Six years ago, Alabama’s Bobby Colantonio Jr. was diagnosed with stage-four cancer. He was given a 20-percent chance of surviving and if he did survive it was likely he would lose a leg to amputation.
Friday night he stood atop the podium at the Birmingham Crossplex in the midst of the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, gold trophy held overhead, the national champion in the men weight throw.
Dreams of competing are what kept him going when he was down to a “skin and bones” 185 pounds on a 6-4 frame, going through aggressive chemotherapy and radiation treatment. They are what kept him going after he was deemed to be in remission and starting the decidedly uphill battle to return to the championship form he possessed before cancer.
On Friday night, the once again strapping Colantonio, all 6-4 and 265 pounds of him, launched big mark after big mark to dominate the weight throw competition and make those dreams come true on his way to becoming Alabama’s first national champion in the event with a final throw of 23.60 meters.
“This is what I was dreaming of all the way through high school and when I got sick this is what I was striving to come back for,” Colantonio said. “It’s been an incredible, incredible journey.”
And there he was at the end, standing on top of the podium with a gold trophy in his hand, his coaches, teammates and most importantly his family cheering him on, not just for tonight, but for the entire, utterly amazing journey.
“It’s always special to win a national title and that’s especially true with Bobby,” Alabama head coach Dan Waters said. “When I think about everything he’s overcome just to be able to compete again, much less stand on top of that podium as a national champion, it’s a little overwhelming. Overall, we got some great performances today and we’re looking forward to going out tomorrow, scrapping for every point, and finishing out our indoor season strong.”
Alabama Athletics
Alabama Athletics
Alabama Athletics
Crimson Tide: Day One
- The Alabama men are in fourth place after day one with 14 points, while the women are in 13th place with six points
- Bobby Colantonio Jr. launched a toss of 23.60 meters in his final attempt to win the national weight throw title
- Colantonio finished more than a half a meter better than the rest of the field, and four of his six throws (23.38, 23.09, 23.51 and 23.60) were better than the best throw from the rest of the field
- His title was the first for the Crimson Tide in the weight throw
- Mercy Chelangat took third place in the women’s 5,000 meters with a school-record time of 15:31.06
- Chelangat returns to action Saturday with the women’s 3,000 meters
- Emmanuel Ineh posted a leap of 7.71 meters on his final attempt in the men’s long jump to grab fifth place
- Ineh will be back in action on Saturday in the men’s triple jump
- Eliud Kipsang advanced to the final of the men’s mile with a time of 4:02.24 in the second semifinal race
- Chelsea Igberaese finished 13th in the women’s weight throw with a toss of 21.42 meters
- Khaleb McRae finished 15th in the men’s 400 meters with a time of 47.28
- The men’s distance medley relay of Kipsang, Leander Forbes, Jacob Lamb and Hillary Cheruiyot ran a 9:40.85 to take 12th place
SEE ALSO: For Alabama Thrower, 'BC' Doesn’t Simply Represent His Initials, But Also 'Beat Cancer'
• All Things CW: Crimson Tide Cancer Survivor Finally Getting Shot at Championship
