Athletics Australia – News – Hoffa signs up for heavyweight bout

Former world and world indoor shot put champion Reese Hoffa (USA) is set to add some heavyweight pulling power to the 2011 Australian Athletics Tour, the two-time Olympian and world championships representative today confirming he will compete at next month’s Briggs Athletics Classic in Hobart and at the IAAF Melbourne Track Classic on March 3.

Thirty-three-year-old Hoffa, who won the 2006 IAAF world indoor crown and took gold at the 2007 IAAF world championships, will make his debut appearance on Australian soil at the Briggs Athletics Classic on Sunday, February 20.

In 2010 Hoffa was the only man in the world to defeat fellow American and world No. 1 Christian Cantwell, scoring a win over the reigning world and world indoor champion on the final leg of the Diamond League series in Brussels (BEL) with a meet record heave of 22.16m.

The world No. 2 will prove fierce competition for Australian young gun Dale Stevenson, who took bronze in the shot put at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi (IND) in October and now has his sights set on qualification for the 2011 IAAF world championships in Daegu (KOR) in August.

Stevenson said he was buoyed by the opportunity to compete against a former world champion.

“I am ecstatic that Reese will be coming out for our new-look domestic season,” he said.

“Since spending some time with his coach, Don Babbitt, in 2010, I’ve been hoping to catch up with Reese and spend some time training and competing together.

“Reese is renowned as being one of the best exponents of rotational shot put the world has ever seen and I have personally used him as a technical model upon which to base my throwing. Having him compete in Australia will be a great chance to further my understanding of the event and perhaps a chance to chalk up a win over a world champion!”

While in Australia Hoffa will conduct clinics in both Hobart and Melbourne with coaches and athletes from within the elite throws community.

One of the more colourful personalities on the international athletics circuit, Hoffa is famed for his celebratory antics following his win at the 2007 IAAF world titles. Click here for footage.

Hoffa joins world 800m record-holder and reigning IAAF World Athlete of the Year David Rudisha (KEN) on the list of big-name international athletes bound for the 2011 Australian Athletics Tour.

Further athlete announcements will be made in coming weeks.

2011 Australian Athletics Tour

Round 1: Brisbane Athletics Classic – Friday February 11, 2011
Round 2: Briggs Athletics Classic (Hobart) – Sunday February 20, 2011
Round 3: Melbourne Track Classic – Thursday March 3, 2011
Round 4: Sydney Track Classic – Saturday March 19, 2011
Australian Athletics Tour Final Perth: Thursday March 31 – Friday April 1, 2011

Athletics Australia – News