University of North Carolina Athletics
Gowda Sets Discus Record at Hartnel College Invite
May 25, 2004 | Track & Field
May 25, 2004
UNC's Vikas Gowda threw for a discus Olympic A standard 211-1 at the Hartnel College Throws Invitational last week. A junior from Frederick, Md., Gowda is redshirting the outdoor season for North Carolina and threw as an unattached athlete at the meet. Gowda, who is originally from India and has India citizenship, set the India national record with the mark and came within two feet, eight inches of the all-time Asian record held by Shaojie Li of China.
Gowda holds the Carolina outdoor record in the discus with a throw of 194-7 in 2003 and was a NCAA scorer last year.
North Carolina has several other Olympic hopefuls on this year's roster including Laura Gerraughty (shot put), Shalane Flanagan (5,000-meters), Alice Schmidt (800-meters) and Erin Donohue (1,500-meters). Also, sophomore Carol Henry is a candidate for the Canadian Olympic Team in the 5,000-meters.
Former Tar Heels looking to compete in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece for the United States are Marion Jones (100 and 200-meters, long jump and 4x100-meter relay), Allen Johnson (110-meter hurdles), Tisha Waller (high jump), Tasha Colander (100-meters, 4x400-meter relay), Crystal Cox (400-meters, 4x400-meter relay), Monique Hennigan (200-meters, 4x400-meter relay), Nicole Gamble (triple jump), Ola Sesay (long jump), Milton Campbell (400-meters, 4x400-meter relay) and Blake Phillips Russell (10,000-meters).
Jones is a three-time Gold medalist and Johnson won gold in 1996 in the 110-meter hurdles. Tasha Colander and Monique Hennigan also won Gold medals as part of the 4x400-meter relay team in 2000 along with Marion Jones.
Two other former Tar Heels are looking to compete in the Olympics for their native countries. Nadine Faustin hopes to represent Haiti in the women's 100-meter hurdles and Dominic Demeritte for the Bahamas in the 200-meters, 4x100 and 4x400-meter relays.
