By tim morris
Staff Writer
Jon Kalnas’ brilliant throwing season took on an added touch of gold at the Powerade North America, Central America and Caribbean (NACAC) Under-25 Track and Field Championship in San Antonio, Texas.
Competing in a United States uniform at an international meet for the first time, the Monmouth University All-American won the shot put with a throw of 61-4 1/4 (18.70 meters). That mark was reached on his sixth and final throw. A 59-9 (18.2) earlier in the competition enabled him to overtake teammate Chris Adams (who took the silver medal with a 58-1 (17.70)) and move into first. That mark would have been good enough to win it.
Kalnas had earned his spot on the US Team by finishing eighth at the USA Track and Field Championships with a toss of 63-4 3/4.
Hawks’ head coach Joe Compagni said the competition was good for Kalnas.
"It was an awesome experience for Jon to be able to compete in a Team USA uniform, something I hope he can do more of in the future," he pointed out. "To be able to win an international meet like this makes it even more special. It was a tremendous achievement for him and a great thing for the school."
Monmouth throwing coach Mark Gottdenker was impressed that after a very long competitive season that began in January with the indoor season, Kalnas was able to be remain in winning form for the NACAC Championships.
"Jon has been competing at a very high level since early this year and this is a great way to end the season," said Gottdenker. "He’s excited about the future. He knows he has a unique opportunity in the next couple of years. This whetted his appetite."
Kalnas is the first ex-Monmouth athlete to represent the United States in an international amateur event since Christie Pearce, who is still a membr of the US women’s soccer team.
Gottdenker, who was in San Antonio with Kalnas, saw what the impact was.
"He was pretty excited about it," he remarked. "He’s represented his high school, New Jersey and Monmouth at championship meets before, and now this was his first opportunity to be a part of Team USA.
"What that uniform represented was all the work he’s put in over the years," he added.
The NACAC was the latest triumph in a season of firsts for Kalnas, who earned All-American honors twice in 2002 to bring his total number of All-American honors for his career to three.
Kalnas began his record-setting assault indoors, where he won the Millrose Games and Northeast Conference championships. He placed fifth at the NCAA Division I Championships with a school-record throw and earned All-American recognition.
Outdoors, the records kept falling as he won at the Penn Relays, the Northeast Conference and IC4A meets. He was fourth at the NCAA Division I Championships with an outdoor school record 63-8 1/4. He was again tabbed an All-American.
Kalnas followed up his final collegiate season at Monmouth with his appearance at the National Championships in Palo Alto, Calif. His eighth place in the meet that featured a veritable who’s who in American throwing, including the likes of Adam Nelson, Jon Godina and Kevin Toth, allowed Kalnas to prove he belonged with the elite. That finish was good enough to put him on Team USA for the NACAC Under-25 Championships, where he couldn’t have made a more golden debut.