Gehm takes ninth in Pan-Am Games

July 20, 2019 at 12:00a.m.

YSU discus thrower travelled to Costa Rica

Zach Gehm was a spot short of the finals in the Pan American U20 Championships on Friday.

The Youngstown State freshman discus thrower took ninth place at Estadio Nacional in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Gehm’s first throw of 54.69 meters was his best mark and his second and third throws went 52.94 and 52.96, respectively. Argentina’s Nazareno Uriel Sasia took the last final spot with a throw of 55.37.

Chile’s Claudio Romero Beltran won the event with his best throw being his third at 62.07. Cuba’s Dabirac Miguel Perez Ibal was second after throwing 61.48 and Gehm’s Team USA teammate, Joshua Sobota, rounded out the podium at third after throwing 61.32.

Gehm booked his ticket to Costa Rica by winning the USA Track and Field U20 Championships on June 23. when he threw 60.31. He is coming off a freshman season in which he became YSU’s record-holder in the discus — which is heavier than what is thrown at the Pan-Am Games — at 54.17. His collegiate season ended with him finishing 20th in the NCAA East Preliminary Round.

In Horizon League competition, Gehm was the Freshman of the Year in field events and was the runner up in the discus at the Horizon League Tournament, finishing a centimeter behind teammate Dominic Westbay.