| Kristin Heaston |
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At the 2008 Olympic Trials, Kristin Heaston placed second with a throw of 60-2 to make the U.S. Olympic team.
In 2007, Heaston claimed her third U.S. Outdoor Championship with a personal-best throw of 61-5.75 (18.74m). She won her second U.S. Outdoor title in 2005 with a then-personal-best 61-3.5 (18.68m), and competed in the qualifying round at the World Outdoor championships.
At the 2004 Olympic Games, Heaston was the first woman to throw in the qualifying round at Ancient Olympia, making her the first woman ever to compete at Olympia. After her first throw of 53-10.75 (16.41m), she fouled in her second attempt before posting her best throw of 56-4 (17.17m), coming up just short of the automatic qualifying mark of 60-8.5 (18.50m).
In 2003, Heaston became the first woman to win the U.S. Indoor and Outdoor shot put titles in the same year since Connie Price-Smith did it in 2000.
She was a standout at the University of Florida, before transferring to Cal when she found out her father, Steve, was suffering from brain cancer. Steve at the time was the men's water polo coach at Cal. A five-time All-American, Heaston took fourth in the 1999 NCAA championships (54-0) in her senior season, her only year with the Bears.
