Brittany Smith

Brittany Smith, college athlete, is a true example of an underdog story. She went from being number seventeen in the nation in the shot put event to placing third at the NCAA Indoor National Championship in Texas just a few weeks ago.
 
Smith, ISU sophomore secondary math education major, was an athlete in both middle school and high school. She was recruited to be a track team member at ISU her freshman year. Her story of dedication and perseverance in her sport has finally paid off.
 
HC: What made you decide to be on the track team at ISU?
Smith: I was in track basically my whole life, and I was recruited to play here at ISU. Naturally, I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to do it in a college setting.
 
HC: What events do you participate in on the team?
Smith: I am a shot putter, which is the event that I competed in at the NCAA National Championship. I also do the weight event and hammer discus.
 
HC: How heavy are the shot put and the weight that you throw?
Smith: The weight is about twenty pounds and the shot put is 4 kilograms, which is about 8.8 pounds.
 
HC: Where was the championship held and how did you feel going into it?
Smith:  The NCAA Championship was held at Texas A&M the weekend of March 11. I flew down with my coaches for the tournament. I was ranked seventeenth in the nation at shot put, but my coaches told me to go into the championship just like any other meet. I had competed with some of the 21 girls I was going up against and I had heard about some of the others. I knew that I was the underdog before I got there, but I went into the competition with a clear mind. I just wanted to make it into the top eight so I would be awarded the ‘All-American’ title.
 
HC: When did you know what place you came in?
Smith: The first throw was one of the biggest I’ve ever had. At that point, I knew I had made it into the top 8 and I would have a chance to throw again. The top nine girls, including myself, went into the finals where we each had three more throws. I was in the second flight of throwers, so I had watched half of the finals before I threw. At that point I was pretty sure that I was in the top three, but we had to wait until the end to hear the announcement of places.
 
HC: What did it feel like to hear your name announced that you had placed third?
Smith: Since I went into the competition ranked seventeenth, I was shocked to hear that I had placed third overall. It was such an amazing feeling and so unexpected. It was the biggest adrenalin rush of my life and my coaches were so proud. I still feel like its just setting in.