BEREA, Ohio — After just missing in previous years, Mike Curry took the field by storm July 31 at the United States Masters Track and Field Championships.
Curry, a former Lake County resident and Clear Lake High School graduate, won the 35-pound weight throw in the 40-44 men”s division in impressive fashion, uncorking a throw of 13.25 meters on the second of six attempts. The runner-up, John Katalinas, finished at 11.92 meters and Keith Butler was third at 11.66.
“It was my last chance,” the 44-year-old Curry said of winning the 40-44 division since he turns 45 in October. “I just missed the last couple of years but I beat the guy (Katalinas) by almost four feet.”
The victory was a long time in coming for Curry, who lost out by one centimeter in the same event in 2008 and by .19 meters in 2009.
“I”ve had a chip on my shoulder ever since,” Curry said. “It feels great to finally win the thing.”
To celebrate, Curry said he went out and ate a 25-ounce Porterhouse steak.
Curry, a resident of Elk Grove, also placed second in the hammer throw, which took place on July 29.
One of Curry”s passions is teaching the sport of hammer throwing to high school athletes although the event is not sanctioned by the state CIF. To that end, he is club president and head coach of Golden State Throwers (http://www.goldenstatethrowers.org). So far he”s qualified six throwers for national-level competition.
“The hammer throw helps them achieve their dreams of being a college athlete and gets them into their dream schools,” Curry said.
Two of Golden State”s alumni, Lauren Sens and Sarah Hussey, are continuing their careers at Division I schools. Sens is a member of the University of Oregon track squad and Hussey is moving on to UC Davis.
Curry said he has room for more throwers and would like to work with athletes from Lake County, which is where he grew up.
Golden State Throwers has access to some of the best coaching talent in the country, according to Curry, who has worked in the past with Olympic gold medalist Stephanie Trafton and four-time world shotput champion John Godina.
