Adam Nelson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Adam Nelson

Nelson at the 2011 World Championships
Personal information
Born	(1975-07-07) July 7, 1975 (age 49) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Height	6 ft 0 in
Weight	255 lb
Sport
Country	United States
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	Shot put
Coached by	Carrie Lane
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	22.51 m (outdoor) 22.40 m (indoor)
Medal record Men's athletics Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2004 Athens Shot put Silver 2000 Sydney Shot put World Championships Gold 2005 Helsinki Shot put Silver 2001 Edmonton Shot put Silver 2003 Paris Shot put Silver 2007 Osaka Shot put IAAF World Athletics Final Gold 2005 Monaco Shot put Silver 2004 Monaco Shot put Silver 2007 Stuttgart Shot put

Adam McCright Nelson (born July 7, 1975) is an American shot putter. He is known for winning an Olympic gold medal. Nelson competed in three Olympic Games: 2000, 2004, and 2008. He first won a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Later, he earned a gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Adam is married to Laci Nelson. They have two daughters named Caroline and Lauren.

Early Life and College Years

Adam Nelson was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He went to The Lovett School in Atlanta. There, he was a great athlete in both football and track and field. After graduating from Lovett in 1993, Nelson attended Dartmouth College. He finished college in 1997.

At Dartmouth, Nelson was a star on the track and field team. He won the college shot put title in 1997. His throw was 19.62 m (64 ft 4 in). He still holds the Dartmouth shot put record with a throw of 65 feet 3 inches (19.89 m).

Besides shot put, Nelson also played football at Dartmouth. He was a linebacker and then a defensive tackle. In 1993, he made history as the first freshman to play on Dartmouth's varsity football team. This was because the Ivy League changed a rule that used to stop first-year students from playing. Nelson was part of Dartmouth's undefeated Ivy League champion team in 1996.

Before he became an Olympian himself, Adam Nelson worked at a food stand. This was during the 1996 Summer Olympics held in his hometown of Atlanta.

Olympic Journey and World Championships

Sydney 2000: A Silver Start

Adam Nelson won a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Many people thought he would win the gold medal. He had won every major shot put event before the Olympics that summer. This included the 2000 Olympic Trials. At the Sydney Games, his throw was 21.21 metres (69 feet 7 inches). This was just three inches (7.6 cm) shorter than the winning throw by Arsi Harju of Finland.

Nelson's personal best throw in the shot put is 22.51 metres (73 feet 10 inches). He achieved this in 2002. At that time, it was one of the longest throws ever in U.S. history.

Athens 2004: The Original Stadium and a Tie

The shot put event at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece was special. It took place at the ancient Stadium of Olympia. This brought Olympic competition back to its original home after more than a thousand years.

In Athens, Nelson started strong with his first throw of 21.16 metres (69 feet 5 inches). He kept the lead through most of the competition. However, he fouled on several of his later throws. In the final round, Yuriy Bilonog of Ukraine threw 21.16 metres (69 feet 5 inches). This tied him with Nelson for first place. Nelson then had one last chance to break the tie. He made a powerful throw, but he accidentally stepped on the line. This was a foul.

Since Nelson and Bilonog were tied, the tie-breaker rule was used. This rule looks at the competitors' second-best throws. Because Nelson had fouled on all his throws after the first one, he didn't have a second valid mark. So, Yuriy Bilonog was given the gold medal. Adam Nelson received his second straight Olympic silver medal.

Gold Medal Upgrade in 2013

Years later, in 2012, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) re-tested urine samples from the 2004 Olympic Games. They found that Yuriy Bilonog, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist, had used performance-enhancing drugs.

On December 5, 2012, the IOC announced that Bilonog's sample tested positive. He was stripped of his gold medal. After a waiting period for appeals, the IOC officially declared Adam Nelson the 2004 Olympic champion on May 30, 2013.

Nelson received his gold medal from a United States Olympic Committee official. The special moment happened at an airport food court in Atlanta.

World Championships Success

At the 2005 World Athletics Championships, Nelson won his first major world title. His winning throw was 21.73 meters (71 feet 4 inches). Two years later, he won a silver medal at the 2007 World Athletics Championships with a throw of 21.61 meters (70 feet 11 inches).

At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Nelson did not record a valid throw in the final round. He continued to compete in the 2009 and 2011 World Athletics Championships. He finished 5th and 8th in those events.

Nelson tried to make the U.S. Olympic Team for a fourth time in 2012. However, he did not reach the final round.

Shot Put Technique

Nelson throws the shot put using a technique called the "spin." He uses his right arm to throw. The "spin" technique helps him create a lot of speed and power inside the 7-foot-diameter (2.135-meter) throwing circle.

The "spin" style can lead to more powerful throws. But it also makes it easier for athletes to foul. This means they might step on or over the line of the circle. For example, at the 2004 Olympic Games, Nelson fouled on five of his six throws. Even with those fouls, he still won the gold medal after the upgrade.

Life After Competition

Since he stopped competing professionally, Adam Nelson has trained other top athletes. He has worked with athletes in football, golf, baseball, and track and field. He has also worked for NBC Sports as an expert on field events.

Nelson is a strong supporter of fair play in sports. He often speaks out against the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

In 2017, Nelson moved to Houston with his family. He works for The D10, an organization that uses sports events to raise money for good causes. They have raised over $12 million for research and treatment of childhood cancer.

In 2020, he returned to his old high school, The Lovett School. He became their athletic director.

Major Competition Results

Nelson after winning silver at the 2007 World Championships

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Notes
Representing the  United States
1994	World Junior Championships	Lisbon, Portugal	1st	18.34 m
1999	Universiade	Palma de Mallorca, Spain	2nd	20.64 m
2000	Olympic Games	Sydney, Australia	2nd	21.21 m
2001	World Indoor Championships	Lisbon, Portugal	2nd	20.72 m
	World Championships	Edmonton, Canada	2nd	21.24 m
	Goodwill Games	Brisbane, Australia	1st	20.91 m
2003	World Championships	Paris, France	2nd	21.26 m
2004	Olympic Games	Athens, Greece	1st	21.16 m
2005	World Championships	Helsinki, Finland	1st	21.73 m
2007	World Championships	Osaka, Japan	2nd	21.61 m
2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China	N/A	NM
2009	World Championships	Berlin, Germany	5th	21.11 m
2011	World Championships	Daegu, South Korea	7th	20.29 m

Images for kids

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  Nelson at the 2011 World Championships

See also

In Spanish: Adam Nelson para niños