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Adding to his alread impressive array of accolades and titles, Hortonville Senior Ben Smith won the USATF U20 National title in the shot put at Hayward Field, finishing with an impressive mark of 67 feet and 6 inches.
Smith's first throw of the day qualified him for the shot put final, guaranteeing him six throws to win the U20 title. It was his 4th throw of the day that got him that title, elevating him over the University of Arizona's Michelini who threw 66' 2.5" on his first attempt of the day.
U20 Mens Shot Put Results
| Rank | Thrower | Mark |
| 1 | Ben Smith | 67' 6" |
| 2 | Tyler Michelini | 66' 2.5" |
| 3 | Evan Martinez | 65' 9" |
| 4 | Dillon Morlock | 65' 4.75" |
| 5 | Luke Himes | 64' 11.25" |
| 6 | Jacob Cookinham | 62' 6" |
| 7 | Kaden Garland | 61' 10.25" |
| 8 | Easton Hatleberg | 60' 2.5" |
With his major win at the USATF U20 Championships, Smith has now guaranteed himself a spot at the U20 World Championship in Lima, Peru from August 27-31. There Smith will face-off against the best U20 throwers the world has to offer. The event was most recently contested in 2022, with the USA's Tarik O'Hagan winning with a throw of 68' 0.25".
Smith should come in as the favorite as he has recorded throws of 75' 1", 70' 4.25", 70' 1.5", and 70' 9.5" this outdoor season. He has gone undefeated in the shot put since June of 2023, winning 18 titles along the way.
Smith currently ranks as the #1 thrower nationally this outdoor season, with his throw of 75' 1" ranking 3.25 inches ahead of the #2 thrower in Jackson Cantwell.