June 21, 2007
INDIANAPOLIS - Barry Krammes, a 2004 graduate of East Stroudsburg University and a social studies teacher at East Stroudsburg South, placed fifth in the javelin for the second consecutive year at the 2007 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, which are being held in Indianapolis.
Krammes had a personal best throw of 243-4 on his first attempt, a mark which stood up for a top-five finish in the field of 19 competitors, and was just three feet out of second place (246-3). Breaux Greer extended his own American record with a throw of 299-6 to win the competition by more than 53 feet.
Krammes set his previous PR of 241-11 at last year's championships, where he entered seeded 18th as a virtual unknown, but left with a surprise fifth-place finish and personal expectations to repeat his placement from a year ago.
A two-time All-American at ESU, Krammes has been battling a groin injury throughout training this year, but said that he felt healthy for the first time in several weeks in the hours leading up to the event on Thursday night.
"I made a decision to go after it on my first throw," Krammes explained. "I love pressure and the atmosphere of this competition. The adrenaline definitely took me up another notch and the crowd was awesome. I took an easy run up, hit my mark and let it rip."
His season best to date was a throw of 238-1 which won the Oregon Twilight Meet in early May. Next up is the Club National Championships, which he will compete in on July 14 in New York City.
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