South Park Athlete Sets National Record In Javelin

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- South Park's Bill Stanley has a throwing arm that could match any local high school pitcher in the area.

But he gave up on baseball years ago to concentrate on throwing…javelins.

"One day we picked my sister up from South Park Track Club," Stanley says, "and I came from baseball practice and I saw her throwing a plastic turbo-javelin. We went home and talked about it. The next day I came out to practice and started throwing pretty far."

He's continued throwing it far ever since. Last month, Stanley set the Baldwin Invitational meet record at 234 feet, 9 inches. At the time it was the second longest throw by a high school thrower in the country.

Two weeks ago at the state championships in Shippensburg, Stanley threw further than any high school athlete had ever thrown: 246 feet, 9 inches -- a new national high school record.

"I was just in shock," Stanley says, "but then when everyone started screaming, it all set in. When I was walking out hugging all my coaches and my family, they were all crying and it set in even more.

"[My parents] were there -- they were bawling their eyes out. It just all set in after I was done that everything I worked for finally came together."

Stanley will continue throwing in college next year for Ohio State, and something tells us he'll fit right in.

"With my throw of 246-nine," he says with a smile, "with the NCAA meet this weekend, I would've placed fourth."

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