(Reuters) -Mya Lesnar, the daughter of World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler and ex-mixed martial artist Brock Lesnar, smacked down her opponents with a massive opening effort to win the women’s shot put at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships.
The 23-year-old Colorado State athlete won with her first throw of 19.01 metres, with her father Brock in attendance at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon on Friday.
“It was pretty awesome. Obviously throws like that don’t happen often, and to do it on my first one was pretty cool. I just went calm, hit my cues,” Lesnar told reporters.
“(coach) Brian Bedard and I have tons of trust, and that’s exactly what we did. I think it had more of an effect for me.
“It meant more for me to do it on the first one, to start off the competition strong. A lot of the other ladies responded. It was awesome.”
Lesnar, who won the women’s shot put title at the NCAA Division I indoor track and field championships last year, also recorded the second-best throw of the event with an 18.87 metres effort.
Only Illinois’ Abria Smith provided any challenge to Lesnar’s supremacy, coming close with a throw of 18.85 metres on her third attempt.
Lesnar’s father Brock is among wrestling’s most celebrated stars and was an Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion for nearly two years between November 2008 and October 2010.
He won the NCAA Division I heavyweight wrestling championship in 2000 and also pursued a career in the National Football League, playing a few pre-season games for the Minnesota Vikings in 2004.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru)
