Ex-Sooner Kevin Bookout eyes 2012 Games

[Sooner Quick]

By Jason Kersey, Staff Writer, jkersey@opubco.com O
Published: May 10, 2010

Former OU basketball and track star Kevin Bookout is still working toward his Olympic dream.

Read more: http://newsok.com/ex-sooner-kevin-b...rticle/3460161?custom_click=rss#ixzz0nVbFkW00

 

[Sawyer]

Any idea what his distance was on that winning shot put?

 

[T_Neal's Twitter]

This is what I like to see!

Go KB!

 

[Speedy17]

He threw about 63 feet which means he needs to gain about 7-8 feet to make the USA team. that is a huge step.

 

[Hollisp]

Agreed, hes going to have to pick it up significantly in the next year or he will be SOL for the 2012 olympic. I loved him at OU and have been following him in his journey in his field events. I think its interesting that hes doing disc again. I wonder if that has anything to do with him not progressing as well as they had hoped in the shot. I hope it works out for him!

 

[PeteHoops]

I don't know the terminology and all, but Bookout does not throw the shot the same way top flight throwers do. He doesn't do the full spin and throw, he just twist's (basically puts his back to the field) and throws it. When I was at OU I asked him about it and he said he'd have to learn the common technique or he probably wouldn't be able to get to the top. I don't know if he has changed the motion or not, just commenting on why/how he will/won't get the extra 7-8 feet he needs.

Also he did not throw the discuss because he had the shoulder surgeries and that puts a lot of stress on the joint and ligaments the doctors were concerned about. He wanted to throw it, but the coaches wouldn't let him. He thought at the time he could get to the really elite level in the discuss, but this was 3 or 4 years ago so who knows.

 

[Hollisp]

I don't know the terminology and all, but Bookout does not throw the shot the same way top flight throwers do. He doesn't do the full spin and throw, he just twist's (basically puts his back to the field) and throws it. When I was at OU I asked him about it and he said he'd have to learn the common technique or he probably wouldn't be able to get to the top. I don't know if he has changed the motion or not, just commenting on why/how he will/won't get the extra 7-8 feet he needs.

Also he did not throw the discuss because he had the shoulder surgeries and that puts a lot of stress on the joint and ligaments the doctors were concerned about. He wanted to throw it, but the coaches wouldn't let him. He thought at the time he could get to the really elite level in the discuss, but this was 3 or 4 years ago so who knows.

I haven't ever seen him throw but you are referring to him being a glider and not a spinner. Most of the elites are spinners but there are a few that still glide. So, it is possible for him to get it as a glider.

His shoulder injuries are well documented but, my question was regardless of the condition of his shoulder why the switch to disc now? Did he get medically cleared? Did they realize that shot wasn't going to get him in so even though he has bad shoulders they might as well try it? The timing of it makes me curious.

 

[OKUman]

To put with the glide he would need to put on about 50 + pounds and get much stronger to compete at the Olympic level.