Kurt Roberts (born February 20, 1988) is an Americantrack and field athlete who competes in theshot put. He set his personal record for the event in 2014, throwing 21.50 m (70 ft6+1⁄4 in) to take second at theUSA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
He was a late starter in the sport and competed inNCAA Division II competition withAshland University. He won once at theNCAA Men's Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships and two titles at theNCAA DII Indoor Championships. His performance of 19.80 m (64 ft11+1⁄2 in) in 2010 is the best by any NCAA Division II athlete. He was the gold medallist at the2010 NACAC Under-23 Championships in Athletics.
Born inLancaster, Ohio,[1] he attendedAthens High School and began to compete in the shot put around the age of sixteen. He progressively became more serious about the sport as he got older. He attendedAshland University and competed for the Ashland Eagles inNCAA Division II. In his first year, he was runner-up indoors and out in theGreat Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) and managed third place at theNCAA Men's Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships with a throw of 17.81 m (58 ft 5 in). He improved further the following year to win both GLIAC titles as well as the NCAA DII outdoor title,[2] setting a personal record and seasonal division best of 18.78 m (61 ft7+1⁄4 in).[3]
Roberts achieved the best mark ever for an NCAA Division II athlete when he won theNCAA DII Indoor title with a put of 19.80 m (64 ft11+1⁄2 in) – a mark which ranked him second among American collegians that season.[1] He was only third at the NCAA outdoor meet. He made his national debut at the2010 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, taking 15th place. He also made his international debut and won a gold medal at the2010 NACAC Under-23 Championships in Athletics. He retained his NCAA indoor title the following year, but failed to record a valid mark at the outdoor meet.[2] He threw over twenty metres for the first time at the beginning of 2011 and his mark of 20.30 m (66 ft 7 in) ranked him in the top ten nationally that year.[4]
Roberts began to shot put professionally in 2012. He competed at theUSA Indoor Track and Field Championships and placed eighth. Outdoors he rapidly improved, throwing 20.33 m (66 ft8+1⁄4 in) and then 21.14 m (69 ft4+1⁄4 in) (the latter performance placed him tenth in the world in the event that year).[5] His put of 20.75 m (68 ft3⁄4 in) at the2012 United States Olympic Trials did not bring him a place on theAmerican Olympic team, but his ranking of fifth overall marked him out as one of the best throwers in the country.[6] At those trials a photograph of him competing, taken mid-throw by Matt Slocum for theAssociated Press, gained widespread coverage due to his unusually distorted face and gruff features. This raised the profile of the athlete, who was still supporting himself by working as aphysical education teacher at an elementary school in Ohio.[7]
Still without sponsor, he took third place at the 2013 USA Indoor Championships, throwing 20.89 m (68 ft6+1⁄4 in) to place behindRyan Whiting andCory Martin.[8] Outdoors, he won at theMt. SAC Relays meet and had a season's best of 20.98 m (68 ft9+3⁄4 in) in May. He peaked too early, as he failed to record a mark at the2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.[2] Roberts improved his personal record in February at the 2014 USA Indoor Championships – he took the lead with a large throw of 21.50 m (70 ft6+1⁄4 in), but was then beaten into second place by Whiting, who set a lifetime best himself.[9] This ranked Roberts second in the world at the point he was chosen to represent his country at the2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships.[10]
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | NACAC Under-23 Championships | Miramar, Florida, United States | 1st | 18.60 m (61 ft1⁄4 in) |
| 2014 | World Indoor Championships | Sopot, Poland | 10th (q) | 20.17 m |
| 2016 | World Indoor Championships | Portland, United States | 19th | 17.94 m |
