Janee' Kassanavoid (born January 19, 1995) is a Native American track and field athlete who specializes in the hammer throw.
Professional career Kassanavoid set her personal best of on April 30, 2022, in Tucson, Arizona. On July 17, 2022, at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, Kassanavoid won the bronze medal with a distance of 74.86 m. She is Native American—a member of the Comanche Nation—making her the first Native American woman to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships (including Olympics).Janee' Kassanavoid, a Kansas State All-American and Nike professional athlete along with the No. 3 competitor in American history as well as No. 6 all-time in the world in the women's hammer throw, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss competing at her first World Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. Kassanavoid, a native American athlete representing the Comanche tribe, became only the sixth female athlete in history to produce a 78-meter throw May 21 with her 255-11 effort (78.00m) at the USATF Throws Festival in Tucson, Ariz., and enters July 15 qualifying as the No. 3 performer in the world this year. She is scheduled to join reigning World champion DeAnna Price, defending national champion Brooke Andersen and Annette Echikunwoke in representing the host country, looking to produce multiple women's hammer throw medals for the U.S. for the first time at a global final. Kassanavoid, 27, revisits winning her first weight throw national title in February at the USATF Indoor Championships at The Podium in Spokane, Wash., but not competing at the World Indoor Championships in March in Belgrade, Serbia, since the event is not contested at the global final. She also reflects on finishing fourth at the U.S. Olympic Trials last year and the motivation and inspiration it created to compete at the World Championships this year following her first national team experience at The Match in 2019 in Belarus. Kassanavoid examines the lifting she put in during the COVID-19 pandemic in her sister's garage in Louisiana, along with the training she completed at local parks, and the foundation it created for her improvement the past three years. She speaks about her collaboration with veteran coach Greg Watson and how several technical improvements have combined with her strength and speed in the ring to elevate to one of the elite competitors in the history of the event. Kassanavoid explains how significant it is to have the support of Nike and being an N7 athlete and having the opportunity to be given a platform to highlight the success of Native American, indigenous and Comanche women. She also shares how meaningful it would be to represent her family and its athletic history with a medal. DyeStat July 6, 2022
Representing the 20232023 World Athletics ChampionshipsBudapest, Hungary2ndHammer throw20222022 World Athletics ChampionshipsEugene, Oregon3rdHammer throw2019The Match Europe v USAMinsk, Belarus4thHammer throw
US Track and Field Championships Representing Nike2023USA Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsEugene, Oregon3rdHammer throwUSA Indoor Track and Field ChampionshipsAlbuquerque, New Mexico7thWeight throw2022USA Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsEugene, Oregon2ndHammer throwUSA Indoor Track and Field ChampionshipsSpokane, Washington1stWeight throw Unattached2021United States Olympic TrialsEugene, Oregon4thHammer throw2020USA Indoor Track and Field ChampionshipsAlbuquerque, New Mexico5thWeight throw2019USA Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsDes Moines, Iowa5thHammer throwRepresenting Kansas State Wildcats2018USA Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsDes Moines, Iowa15thHammer throw2017USA Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsSacramento, California14thHammer throw
Kansas State University and Johnson County Community College Janee' Kassanavoid is a 7-time Track and field All-American and 3-time Big 12 Conference champion.
Representing Kansas State Wildcats track and field Year Championship Event Distance Place2018 NCAA 2018 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships Hammer Throw 13th Big 12 Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships Hammer Throw 1st2017 NCAA 2017 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships Hammer Throw 4th Big 12 Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships Hammer Throw 1stNCAA 2017 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships Weight Throw 9thBig 12 Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships Weight Throw 1st 2016 NCAA 2016 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships Hammer Throw 9th Big 12 Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships Hammer Throw 6thBig 12 Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships Weight Throw 3rd Representing Johnson County Cavaliers Year Championship Event Distance Place 2014 National Junior College Athletic Association Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsShot Put 15th Discus 12th Hammer 1st Kassanavoid - Track and Field - 2015-18 Outdoor Season - Kansas State Wildcats Athletic.net Kassanavoid - Track and Field - 2014 Outdoor Season - Johnson County Collegiate Athletic.net Janee' Kassanavoid - Kansas State Track and Field Results TFRRS
High school Kassanavoid is a 2013 alumnus of Lawson High School in Lawson, Missouri.
Representing Lawson High School Lady Cardinals Year Missouri State High School Activities AssociationOutdoor Track and Field Championships2013 Shot Put 5th Discus 10th2012 Shot Put 7th Discus 5th2010 Shot Put 6th Janee' Kassanavoid Lawson High School Missouri Track & Field Results Athletic.net
References
External links
JANEE' KASSANAVOID 2017-18 Track & Field Profile Kansas State Wildcats Janee' Kassanavoid (Comanche): Pursuing World Class Plans a Week after Placing Fourth in the US Olympic Trials in the Hammer Throw Dan Ninham ndnsports.com
Kansas State University Student Athlete Janee' Kassanavoid - Big 12 Champions for Life Kansas State University