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Sam Mattis

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Sam Mattis
Personal information
Full nameSamuel Harrison Mattis
NationalityAmerican
Born (1994-03-19) March 19, 1994 (age 30)
Manhattan, New York City, NY
Height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight245 lb (111 kg)
Sport
Country United States
SportTrack and field
EventDiscus throw
College teamUniversity of Pennsylvania
Coached byMarlon Mattis, Jake Brenza
Achievements and titles
Personal best68.69 meters
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing the  United States
NCAA National Championships
Gold medal – first place 2015 Eugene Discus
Silver medal – second place 2016 Eugene Discus

Samuel Harrison Mattis OLY[citation needed] (born March 19, 1994) is an American Olympic track and field athlete who competes in the discus throw, and has a personal record of 68.69 meters.[1] At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, he came in 11th. Mattis represented the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Men's discus throw in Paris.

Early and personal life

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Mattis was born in Manhattan, New York City, the son of Marlon and Marcie Mattis, and is Jewish as is his mother.[2][3] His father was born in Jamaica and moved to New York as a child.[2] He has one brother, Jake, who also attended the University of Pennsylvania. His father was the captain of the William & Mary track & field team in 1985, held the 35-lbs weight throw record, and ranks No. 3 in the hammer.[4]

Mattis grew up in East Brunswick, New Jersey, and attended East Brunswick High School, where he started competing in discus throw events as a teenager.[2][3][4]

He attended the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Operations Management.[3] Mattis is 6 feet tall.[2] He lives in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania.[3]

Career

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Mattis won the 2011 New Jersey Meet of Champions, and the 2012 New Balance Nationals, in the discus throw.[3]

Mattis competed for the University of Pennsylvania Quakers in college for four years. He won the gold medal at the 2015 NCAA National Championships.[5] His throw of 67.45 m (221 ft 3 in) to win the 2016 Philadelphia College Classic is the American Collegiate record, and the second-best mark in history by a college student.

Mattis also earned three NCAA All-American honors, and was named the USATFCCA/NCAA National Scholar of the year. The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association selected him as the 2015 Male Scholar Athlete of the Year for Division I.[6] He is a four-time Heps Outdoor Champion in the discus throw, and received First-Team All-Ivy honors for each of his four outdoor seasons.

Mattis won the gold medal at the 2019 Outdoor USA Track and Field Championships, with a throw of 218-9.[3] At the World Championships in Doha, Qatar, in 2019, he placed 11th.[3] In June 2021, Mattis became an Olympian after finishing top three at the 2020 United States Track and Field Olympic Trials. At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, he came in 11th.[3]

Mattis won the gold medal in the discus throw with a throw of 65.93 m (216 ft 3 in) at the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon in July 2023. He won the silver medal with a throw of 64.69m at the 2023 Doha Diamond League in Doha, Qatar. He won the silver medal in the discus throw with a throw of 66.07 m (216 ft 9 in) at the 2024 United States Olympic trials.

2024 Paris Olympics

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Mattis represented the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Men's discus throw at Stade de France in Paris.

Honors

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Mattis was inducted into the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.[3][2]

Major competition record

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Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing the  United States
2016 2016 NCAA National Championships Hayward Field - Oregon 2nd Discus throw 60.96 m (200 ft 0 in)
2016 Ivy League Outdoor Championships Weaver Track & Field Stadium - Princeton University 1st Discus throw 62.45 m (204 ft 10+12 in)
2015 2015 NCAA National Championships Hayward Field - Oregon 1st Discus throw 62.48 m (204 ft 11+34 in)
2015 Ivy League Outdoor Championships Franklin Field - Penn 1st Discus throw 61.75 m (202 ft 7 in)
2014 2014 NCAA National Championships Hayward Field - Oregon 5th Discus throw 60.33 m (197 ft 11 in)
2014 Ivy League Outdoor Championships Reese Stadium - Yale 1st Discus throw 58.72 m (192 ft 7+34 in)
2013 Ivy League Outdoor Championships Weaver Track & Field Stadium - Princeton 1st Discus throw 58.34 m (191 ft 4+34 in)

Personal bests

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Event Best (m) Venue Date
Discus throw (outdoor) 68.69 Tucson, Arizona May 21, 2022
Shot put (outdoor) 17.29 Princeton, New Jersey May 8, 2016
Shot put (indoor) 17.06 Ithaca, New York February 28, 2016
  • Information taken from World Athletics and Direct Athletics profiles.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Personal Best nj.com. Accessed 2016-03-19
  2. ^ a b c d e Emily Burack (July 28, 2021). "18 Things to Know About Track Athlete Sam Mattis; The Jewish discus thrower is set to compete at his first Olympics in Tokyo," Hey Alma.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Samuel Mattis," Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
  4. ^ a b Sam Mattis Archived 2016-04-01 at the Wayback Machine. Penn Quakers. Accessed 2016-03-19.
  5. ^ 2015 NCAA Nationals Archived 2016-04-01 at the Wayback Machine Penn Athletics. Accessed 2016-03-19
  6. ^ DI Men's Track & Field Scholar Athletes of the Year USTFCCCA. Accessed 2016-03-19
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