Romero named Southeast Region Men’s Field Athlete of the Year

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Virginia freshman thrower Claudio Romero has been named the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Men’s Field Athlete of the Year for its Southeast Region.

Romero (Santiago, Chile) had multiple record-breaking performances during his first season of outdoor competition at UVA and will compete in the discus throw at the NCAA Championships next week in Eugene, Ore.

He was the runner-up in the discus competition at the NCAA East Preliminary Round last weekend with a school-record throw of 65.78 meters (215’ 10”). He won the ACC Championship this season and had throws of at least 61 meters (200 feet) in six of seven competitions this season.

Romero also competed in the shot put where his season-best mark of 18.47 meters (60’ 7.25”) ranks No. 5 on the UVA all-time performance list. He finished sixth in the ACC shot put competition to earn second-team All-ACC honors in that event.

Three times this season he was named the ACC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week. This year he was the recipient of the team’s Coach’s Award for Excellence.