Michelle Carter Wins First U.S. Track and Field Gold in Rio

Michelle Carter became the first American to win a medal in track and field at the 2016 Olympics when she won the women’s shotput Friday night. Through most of the night, Carter sat behind two-time reigning Olympic gold medalist Valerie Adams of New Zealand.

On her last throw, however, Carter recorded a mark of 20.63m, breaking her own American Record by 0.39 meters. Carter set that record back in 2013 at the U.S. Championships.

The 30-year old has had a successful last year, getting bronze at the World Championships in Beijing last summer and winning the indoor World Championship in March.

Carter’s gold medal is the first U.S. medal in the women’s shotput at the Olympics since Earlene Brown won bronze at the 1960 games in Melbourne. For the record, neither Jeff nor I had Carter getting a medal in our predictions.