01st March 2008
Exeter’s Olympic hopeful sets new record
Written by Frances Cairncross
Garrett Johnson, a 23-year-old Rhodes scholar student at Exeter College, produced the fourth-longest throw in the world this year to win the shot put on the first day of the Norwich Union World Indoor Trials in Sheffield on February 9th.
Garrett won with a best of 20.66 m, 3 cm further than the 31-year-old championships record set by Geoff Capes, who was European champion three times and the most capped British male athlete of all time.
Garrett’s “Obama for President” shirt caused a stir. From here, he should have a clear run to the Olympic team. He will talk about preparing for the Olympics at a College event on Wednesday March 5th.