Simon Rosselli cracks 200 feet in U20 discus, qualifies for U20 World Athletics Congress | Track and field

Simon Rosselli closed one chapter and had a satisfying start to the next season of his throwing life.

Throwing where he’ll make his home the next four years, the University of Oregon-bound Rosselli captured the USATF U20 men’s national discus championship with a throw of 205 feet, 7 inches Thursday at Hayward Field in Eugene.

The national title qualifies Rosselli for the U20 World Athletics Congress, which will be held in Eugene in early August.

Rosselli was one of just two athletes to crack 200 feet in U20 discus.

The discus and shot used in the U20 meets were heavier than the implements Rosselli used in high school. The U20 discus weighs 1.75 kilograms (3.86 pounds) and the high school discus weighs 1.6 kg (3.53 pounds). The U20 shot weighs 6 kg (13.2 pounds) and the high school shot weighs 5.45 kg (12 pounds).

“I knew I had to go out and do something special or else I wasn’t going to be back in August,” Rosselli said. “I now have another chance to throw what I know I’m capable of.”

Rosselli wanted to be in the 220-foot range with the heavier discus.

“I think that’s incredibly feasible,” Rosselli said. “I didn’t have my coach with me, so I wasn’t able to make the adjustments I needed to make. I haven’t had TJ (Crater, Iron Wood Training Center director) all year. But now I’ll have him with me at Worlds. With him there, I’ll be able to get my technical cues and I don’t see any reason I won’t be able to throw 220 to 230.”

The winning throw in the 2024 Worlds in Lima, Peru, was 229-7.

Qualifying for Worlds was on Rosselli’s list of goals this spring.

The USATF U20 championships and Nike Outdoor Nationals were held simultaneously Thursday through Monday. Rosselli also competed in the Nike Nationals, his final high school-level meet.

Rosselli competed four times over four days in Eugene. He placed fifth in the U20 shot put (63-7½) Friday.

In the Nike shot Saturday, Rosselli had a day he’d like to wipe from his memory. He had one legal throw (60-9¼) in three attempts, failing to make finals.

“It was just an awful day,” Rosselli said. “I felt absolutely nothing. The fact that the ball was lighter (than the day before) … I wasn’t able to adjust to it. The best way to explain it is I felt numb in the ring.”

Rosselli concluded the weekend by winning a national title in the Nike discus Sunday with a throw of 225-8, eclipsing his previous best by 2 inches set at the Arcadia Invitational in Los Angeles in April and becoming an All-American.

“I knew I wasn’t going to get the national record,” Rosselli said. “I was exhausted. My central nervous system was completely fried. I went into the last day knowing I had one more shot at becoming a national champion, but I already knew the national record was out of the picture. So winning the national title was my full focus.”

Rosselli won by 15 feet.

Although Rosselli didn’t break the national prep record (235-7), he got the Nike national record by 12 feet and the Hayward Field prep mark by 5 feet.

Rosselli never threw with the help of any significant wind this season.

“Not once,” he said. “Arcadia was supposed to be the best conditions I would get. Part of the upsetting thing I have with this season is I was in such good shape to break the national record and I never once got the conditions to help me do it. I could have done it on my own but I wasn’t able to. If I had had the wind we had three hours before throwing at Arcadia, I would have broken it three separate times. I threw 225-5, 220 and 225-6. All three of those would have gone over 236 if I had the wind that was blowing earlier. It was just my luck that everywhere I threw (this season) the wind either died or didn’t help at all.”

Rosselli believes he can win Worlds.

“Now that I’m going to have my coach there, I don’t see a way that anyone else can win,” he said. “I’m going to be in the best possible shape I can be in. I’m going to be at Hayward. I have home-field advantage in multiple ways.”

Hall earns All-American status

North Central pole vaulter Charlize Hall finished sixth at the Nike Outdoor Nationals, becoming an All-American.

Hall, who will be a senior this fall, vaulted 13-¾, breaking a Greater Spokane League record that she tied when she jumped 12-9 to win the State 3A championship in May.

She improved 3-¾ this spring in her second year vaulting.