Jan. 15, 2013

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas track & field’s freshman thrower Anastasiya Muchkayev was named the Israeli Female Athlete of the Year earlier this month by the Israeli Athletic Association.

The Jayhawk from Be'er Sheva, Israel, had a breakthrough year in the throwing events. In the last two years the young and talented shot putter and discus thrower made significant improvements using her natural long wing span and her 6-foot-2 frame. Her 2011 season ended with a shot put personal best of 15.52 meters (50-11 ft.) and a discus throw best of 50.25 meters (164-10 ft.), causing many to predict her progress would stop, however Muchkayev astounded all athletics fans with a remarkable 17.22 meter (56-6 ft.) shot put mark in Tel Aviv in April, becoming the new Israeli national record holder in the event. Furthermore, Muchkayev marked a new discus personal best of 54.98 meters (180-5 ft.), the second-farthest mark ever tallied by an Israeli athlete.

Muchkayev’s shot put results ranked her at No. 30 in Europe last year and fifth in the under-23 category, making her the youngest female athlete on that top-30 female athletes list.

After coming to Lawrence to begin her freshman season at the University of Kansas, Muchkayev again made Israeli history in her KU debut at the Bob Timmons Challenge on Dec. 6. She won with shot put easily but also notched a mark of 16.18 meters (53-1 ft.) to break her national indoor shot put record.

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