John Godina facts for kids
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| Born | May 31, 1972 (age 53) Fort Sill, Oklahoma, U.S. |
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John Carl Godina, born on May 31, 1972, is a famous American athlete. He is best known for his amazing skills in shot put, where he has won three World Championships. He also earned two medals at the Olympic Games. Besides shot put, John Godina also competes in discus throw. He was born in Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
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Early Life and High School Sports
When John Godina was in high school, at Cheyenne Central High School in Cheyenne, Wyoming, he was a star athlete. He played football and competed in track and field. He was recognized as an "All-State" and "All-American" athlete in both sports. This means he was one of the best high school athletes in his state and even across the whole country!
John's best throws in high school were really impressive. He threw the shot put 19.23 meters (63 feet, 1 inch). For the discus, his best throw was 64.11 meters (210 feet, 4 inches).
College Success and Olympic Dreams
John Godina continued his amazing sports career at UCLA. While in college, he won three outdoor NCAA championships. He won two titles in discus and one in shot put. In 1995, his shot put throw of 22.00 meters (72 feet, 2.25 inches) set a new national record for college athletes!
That same year, 1995, he won his first World Championship title in shot put. He won two more World Championship titles in 1997 and 2001.
John also competed in the Olympic Games. He won a silver medal in shot put at the 1996 Olympics and a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympics. He was also the first American since 1924 to qualify for the Olympics in both shot put and discus. He competed in the shot put at the 2004 Olympics as well, finishing 8th. John Godina retired from competing in 2009 after dealing with injuries.
John Godina is considered one of the most successful shot putters in American athletics history. He has achieved many great things in his sport.
Honors and Recognition
John Godina has received several honors for his achievements. In 2005, he was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame. This is a special award for athletes who have done incredibly well at UCLA. In 2010, he was also named to the Mt. SAC Relays Hall of Fame.
World Throws Center
After his competing career, John Godina started the World Throws Center. This is an academy where he teaches and trains other top athletes in throwing sports. The center has five locations: two in California (Sacramento and San Ramon) and three in Arizona (Phoenix, Mesa, and Glendale).
John Godina has trained many international athletes, including famous throwers like Vikas Gowda, Suzy Powell, and Dan Taylor.
Achievements
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
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Representing the  United States |
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| 1990 | World Junior Championships | Plovdiv, Bulgaria | 20th (q) | Discus | 40.88 m |
| 1996 | Olympic Games | Atlanta, United States | 2nd | Shot put | 20.79 m |
| 1997 | IAAF Grand Prix Final | Fukuoka, Japan | 3rd | Discus | 65.56 m |
| 2000 | Olympic Games | Sydney, Australia | 3rd | Shot put | 21.20 m |
| 2001 | World Championships | Edmonton, Canada | 1st | Shot put | 21.87 m |
| 2004 | Olympic Games | Athens, Greece | 8th | Shot put | 20.19 m |
See also
In Spanish: John Godina para niños
