Djimon Gumbs, a senior at Northwestern State University (NSU), continued his reign of dominance in the shot put event, clinching his third consecutive gold medal at the Southland Conference Outdoor Championships held at Rice University campus.
Gumbs showcased his exceptional talent and consistency as he unleashed a best toss of 18.94 meters, reaffirming his status as one of the top shot put athletes in collegiate athletics. His impressive performance not only secured another gold medal for himself but also marked NSU’s first gold medal of the championships.
Throughout the competition, Gumbs demonstrated remarkable consistency, with four of his six attempts exceeding the 18-meter mark. After launching a solid 18.29 meters on his second attempt, he faced a brief setback with a foul on his third try. However, Gumbs quickly rebounded and delivered exceptional throws on his final three attempts, registering distances of 18.68, 18.91, and ultimately clinching the gold with 18.94 meters.
To further underscore Gumbs’ dominance, Marcus Francis of McNeese State University, his closest competitor, secured the second position with a best toss of 18.25 meters, highlighting the significant gap between Gumbs and the rest of the field.
Here’s a look at one of Djimon’s impressive throws.
Speaking after the historic feat, his fifth overall Southland Conference gold medal, with the other two in the discus event, Djimon said he was ecstatic with the performance which is his final shot put event in the SLC.
Gumbs was one of three NSU athletes to score in the men’s shot put, including his twin brother Diamante Gumbs who finished fourth with a best distance of 17.17 metres.
Diamante’s performance in the shot put event followed his impressive showing in the men’s hammer throw event held the previous day, where he secured the second position with a best toss of 59.38 meters.