Al Cantello
American javelin thrower (1931–2024)
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| Born | (1931-06-09)June 9, 1931 | |||||||||||
| Died | January 17, 2024(2024-01-17) (aged 92) | |||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | United States Naval Academy cross country and track coach | |||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | |||||||||||
| Weight | 165 lb (75 kg) | |||||||||||
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| College team | La Salle University | |||||||||||
Medal record
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Albert Anthony Cantello (June 9, 1931 – January 17, 2024) was an American javelin thrower as a member of the United States Marine Corps. He was the coach of the men's distance running program at the United States Naval Academy from 1963 to 2018.
Biography
Cantello graduated from La Salle University in Philadelphia in 1955. In 1959, he set the world record in the javelin and won the bronze medal at the 1959 Pan American Games and made the US Olympic team for the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. Despite having the second longest throw (79.72m) in the games during the qualifying rounds, he finished tenth (with an official throw of 74.7m). Cantello won the AAU title in 1959 and 1960 and held a world ranking of No. 4 for both years. In 1964, Sport magazine named Cantello to its all-time track and field team and voted him the world's greatest competitor in the javelin. He was known for his form, in which he would throw his whole body into the throw and end in a semi-handstand.[1] His personal best throw, with the old javelin type, was 86.04 metres, achieved in June 1959 in Compton.[2]
Cantello coached at the United States Naval Academy for more than 50 years where he was named NCAA Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year three times. He retired in 2018. While at La Salle, Cantello was twice named to the Track and Field All-American team. He won the javelin contest at four straight Mid-Atlantic Conference Track and Field Championships and three times won the javelin toss at the Penn Relays.
In 2013 Cantello was inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Coaches Hall of Fame along with Ron Allice, Dennis Craddock, Jim Hunt, Curtis Frye, and Paul Olsen.[3]
Cantello died on January 17, 2024, at the age of 92.[4]
References
- ^ Cantello-style of throwing (with a picture)
- ^ World men's all-time best old javelin (last updated 2001)
- ^ Kyle Terwillegar (16 December 2013). "USTFCCCA Hall of Fame Class of 2013 Inducted at Annual Convention". USTFCCCA Website. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
- ^ La Salle Athletics Mourns Loss of Hall of Athletes Inductee & Track & Field Standout Al Cantello '55
External links
- La Salle Univ. article
- Navy Sports profile
- Cantello's quotes
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US National Championship winners in men's javelin throw
Amateur Athletic Union
- 1909: Ralph Rose
- 1910: Bruno Brodd
- 1911: Ollie Snedigar
- 1912: Harry Lott
- 1913: Bruno Brodd
- 1914–19: George Bronder
- 1920–21: Milton Angier
- 1922: Flint Hanner
- 1923: Harry Hoffman
- 1924: John Leyden
- 1925: Zeke Bonura
- 1926: John Kuck
- 1927: Charles Harlow
- 1928: Creth Hines
- 1929: Jess Mortensen
- 1930–31: James DeMers
- 1932: Malcolm MetcalfNote
- 1933: Lee Bartlett
- 1934: Ralston LeGore
- 1935: Horace Odell
- 1936: John Mottram
- 1937: William Reitz
- 1938: Nick Vukmanic
- 1939–42: Boyd Brown
- 1943–44: Martin Biles
- 1945: Earl Marshall
- 1946: Garland Adair
- 1947–48: Steve Seymour
- 1949: Bud Held
- 1950: Steve Seymour
- 1951: Bud Held
- 1952: Bill Miller
- 1953–55: Bud Held
- 1956: Cy Young
- 1957: Bob Voiles
- 1958: Bud Held
- 1959–60: Al Cantello
- 1961: John Fromm
- 1962: Dan Studney
- 1963: Larry Stuart
- 1964: Frank Covelli
- 1965: Bill Floerke
- 1966: John Tushaus
- 1967: Delmon McNabb
- 1968: Frank Covelli
- 1969: Mark Murro
- 1970–71: Bill Skinner
- 1972: Fred Luke
- 1973: Cary Feldmann
- 1974: Sam Colson
- 1975: Richard George
- 1976: Fred Luke
- 1977: Bruce Kennedy
- 1978: Bill Schmidt
- 1979: Duncan Atwood
The Athletics Congress
- 1980: Duncan Atwood
- 1981: Bruce Kennedy
- 1982: Bob Roggy
- 1983: Rod Ewaliko
- 1984: Curt Ransford
- 1985–86: Tom Petranoff
- 1987: Duncan Atwood
- 1988: Dave Stephens
- 1989: Mike Barnett
- 1990: Vince Labosky
- 1991: Mike Barnett
- 1992: Tom Pukstys
USA Track & Field
- 1993: Tom Pukstys
- 1994: Todd Riech
- 1995: Tom Pukstys
- 1996: Todd Riech
- 1997–99: Tom Pukstys
- 2000–07: Breaux Greer
- 2008: Bobby Smith
- 2009: Chris Hill
- 2010: Sean Furey
- 2011: Mike Hazle
- 2012: Sam Humphreys
- 2013: Riley Dolezal
- 2014–15: Sean Furey
- 2016: Cyrus Hostetler
- 2017: Riley Dolezal
- 2018: Curtis Thompson
- 2019: Michael Shuey
- 20212020 OT: Curtis Thompson
- The 1920, 1928, 1932, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 championships incorporated the Olympic Trials, otherwise held as a discrete event.
- 2020 OT: The 2020 Olympic Trials were delayed and held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Kenneth Churchill had the longest throw in the 1932 competition (which doubled as the Olympic Trials), ahead of Malcolm Metcalf. However, Churchill qualified for the final only due to a late rule change by the U.S. Olympic Committee, allowing eight rather than five finalists. As this rule change applied only to the Olympic Trials, Churchill is considered to have won at the Trials and Metcalf at the national championships, even though they were the same meet.
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