Forrest Wins NCAA Indoor Weight Throw Title

Thursday, March 11

Fayetteville, Ark.

All Day

University of Louisville

NCAA Indoor Championships

Makenli Forrest after winning the NCAA Weight Throw Title

March 11, 2021 | Track & Field

NCAA Indoor Weight Throw Results032 1 Highlights Makenli Forrest Press Conference

By: Lori Harmon

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – On her final attempt of the night, University of Louisville senior Makenli Forrest captured the 2021 NCAA Indoor Weight Throw title with a heave of 23.26m (76-3.75) Thursday at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark. The feat marks the third NCAA Indoor Weight Throw title in program history and the first since 2010 when D'Ana McCarty secured her second consecutive championship in the event.

Forrest's personal best mark breaks the school record of 22.76 (74-8.25) that stood prior to Thursday's competition, it also stands as the top collegiate throw this year.

"It doesn't feel real yet," said Forrest. "I've always wanted to be national champion, but I just never expected to see the day. I'm really excited to call my parents and talk to them about it. I'm really excited to go back to campus and be with my teammates again. Today was a great competition, there were a lot of great girls out there, so I'm just excited to have competed against them and come out on top."

After fouling on her initial attempt of the competition, the Ellenwood, Ga., native registered a throw of 21.72m (71-3.25). She bested that mark on her next try, vaulting into first place with a school record of 22.87m (75-0.5). Notre Dame's Rachel Tanczos, the 2021 ACC Indoor Weight Throw runner-up to Forrest, pulled ahead with a mark of 23.24m (76-3). Fouls on her next two attempts saw Forrest slip to fourth in the standings before her final throw of the night put her back on top and the mark stood as the best in the nation.

"Makenli Forrest has been terrific throughout her career but this season stands out and today was the highlight," said UofL head coach Dale Cowper. "It was an amazing competition and Makenli was able to unload a massive throw on her final effort to become a national champion. She earned the title today with a new school record throw of over 76'!"

Forrest, who earned her third straight All-America honor, posted a runner-up finish in the 2019 NCAA Championships and was preparing to compete in the 2020 championships when the event was canceled due to the spread of COVID-19.

Makenli Forrest Post Meet Quotes
(On her series leading up to the last round)
"I felt really good about it today. In the ACC championship, it was scary, because I only had one mark and I could have been edged out of it at any time, but coach and I put in a lot of hard work over the last two weeks to get ready for this to make sure I had a good series so I wouldn't be as nervous going into the finals."

(On being the third Indoor Weight Throw Champion in school history)
"I'm excited that my name gets to be mentioned in that same competition. D'Ana has her face on the side of our facility and I'm hoping to get my name up there as well, since I won."

(What does it mean to you to have a 23.26m next to your name)
"It means a lot. One of my goals was to just come in and break the school record. And our school record is 22.76m, after I beat that on, I think my third throw, I just wanted to out there and try as hard as I could to get a good mark. So I'm excited to be part of the 23-meters club."

(After finishing second to Sade Olatoye in 2019 and not having an opportunity to throw in 2020 in Albuquerque… what does it mean to have it all come to fruition?)
"It feels great, because we were only in New Mexico for like 26 hours, I counted it down… It was really disappointing to have to leave, because I was really excited for the meet. We had worked hard all year and I wanted to have the opportunity to come out on top last year. But to get to do it this year, it just feels really good. It feels like everything that we've worked for after not getting to compete is just coming fruition."

(After it was all over, what was going through your head?)
"I just really wanted to call my parents immediately. I didn't know what to focus on. I was still feeling a little nervous, because finding out what the last mark was, was a little nerve-wracking. It felt really good just to find out that I edged Rachel (Tanczos) out and was able to come out on top was really nice."

(When it comes down to two centimeters, is it still anxious when you wait to find out what the measurement is going to be?)
"It is, because I think I beat Rachel by like eight centimeters at the ACCs and it was just by like four or five here. It's just all up to what the officials see, it just depends on the day, really."

In addition to Forrest, senior Halee Hudson was competing in her first NCAA Indoor Championships and finished 11^th with a mark of 21.05m (69-0.75)

"I couldn't be more excited about the way our weight throwers represented us today," said Cowper.
"Halee Hudson did an outstanding job of competing today as well. Coming in ranked 16th and finishing 11th is something she should be very proud of. She has been one of the most consistent students I have ever had the honor to coach. Truly someone that young athletes can learn a lot from. If you buy into a program and show up to get better every day, the results will come."

NCAA Indoor Championships Results
March 11, 2021
Fayetteville, Ark. | Randal Tyson Track Center
Women Weight Throw
1 – Makenli Forrest, 23.26m (76-3.75)*!^
11- Halee Hudson, 21.05m (69-0.75)
*personal-best; ! school record; ^ NCAA top mark in 2021