Riley Dolezal (born November 16, 1985) is an American

track and field Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a ru ...

athlete who competes in the

javelin throw The javelin throw is a track and field event where the javelin, a spear about in length, is thrown as far as possible. The javelin thrower gains momentum by running within a predetermined area. Javelin throwing is an event of both the men's de ...

. His personal record for the event is and he is the 2013 and 2017 United States Javelin champion. He now works at Horace High School as a gym and health teacher.

Personal and Prep

Born in

Stanley, North Dakota Stanley is the only major city in Mountrail County, North Dakota, United States. It is the county seat of Mountrail County. The population was 2,321 at the 2020 census, making it the 22nd most populous city in North Dakota. Stanley was founded ...

, Dolezal attended Stanley High School. Outside of throwing Dolezal enjoys hunting, welding, boating, auto repair,

Motorsport Motorsport or motor sport are sporting events, competitions and related activities that primarily involve the use of Car, automobiles, motorcycles, motorboats and Aircraft, powered aircraft. For each of these vehicle types, the more specific term ...

, video and yard games. Riley Dolezal grew up in a town of 1200 and taught himself how to throw javelin his junior year of high school. A multi-sport athlete, he had an opportunity to play football and baseball in college.

NCAA

Dolezal attended

North Dakota State University North Dakota State University (NDSU, formally North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Sciences) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Fargo, North Dakota, United States. It was ...

from 2005 to 2009 and competed in the javelin.Dolezal Wins USA Javelin Title, Shocks Track & Field World
GoBison (2013-06-23). Retrieved on 2013-07-28. He gradually improved from a personal record of in 2008 to in 2009.

Professional

Dolezal teaches high school physical education and works as an assistant coach at North Dakota State University. He cleared seventy metres for the first time in 2012: that year he had a best of and competed in the qualifying round of the 2012 United States Olympic Trials. In 2013 he placed third at the Mt. SAC Relays before winning at the

Drake Relays The Drake Relays is an outdoor track and field event held in Des Moines, Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa, in Drake Stadium (Drake University), Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University. Billed as ''America's Athletic Classic'', it is regarded as one ...

with a throw of .Upsets and Breakthroughs on Final Day of USA Outdoor Championships
USATF (2013-06-23). Retrieved on 2013-07-28. At the

2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships The 2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships was held at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa. Organised by USA Track and Field, the four-day competition took place June 20–23 in conjunction with the USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Champion ...

Dolezal had a startling breakthrough. All four of his valid throws at the competition bettered his previous record: he improved from 74.87 m to 76.10 m to 76.93 m and had his best in the fourth round with a throw of . This moved him up to eighth on the all-time American lists and brought him the national title, finishing ahead of reigning NCAA champion Sam Humphreys. Dolezal placed second in javelin at the

2014 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships The 2014 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships was held at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento, California. Organised by USA Track and Field, the four-day competition took place June 26–29 in conjunction with the USA Junior Combined Events Outdoor ...

with a throw of . Dolezal placed second in javelin at the

2015 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Fifteen or 15 may refer to: *15 (number) *one of the years 15 BC, AD 15, 1915, 2015 Music * Fifteen (band), a punk rock band Albums * ''15'' (Buckcherry album), 2005 * ''15'' (Ani Lorak album), 2007 * ''15'' (Phatfish album), 2008 * ...

with a throw of . Dolezal placed third in javelin at the 2016 United States Olympic Trials (track and field) with a throw of . Dolezal won the javelin title at the

2017 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships The 2017 USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships were held at Hornet Stadium (Sacramento), Hornet Stadium on the campus of California State University, Sacramento in Sacramento, California, Sacramento, California. Organized by USA Track & Field ...

with a throw of . Dolezal placed third in the javelin at the

2018 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships The 2018 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships were held at Drake Stadium (Drake University), Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa. Organized by USA Track & Field, the four-day competition took ...

with a throw of .

Seasonal bests by year

*2008 – 67.89 *2009 – 69.78 *2010 – 69.54 *2011 – 68.54 *2012 – 72.60 *2013 – 83.50 *2014 – 79.27 *2015 – 81.16 *2016 – 80.42 *2017 – 81.77

References

External links

* *
Riley Dolezal at North Dakota State University

Riley Dolezal at All-Athletics.com
(archived)
Riley Dolezal at AthleteBiz.us
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dolezal, Riley Living people 1985 births American male javelin throwers People from Mountrail County, North Dakota North Dakota State Bison track and field World Athletics Championships athletes for the United States USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners Athletes (track and field) at the 2015 Pan American Games Medalists at the 2015 Pan American Games Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States in athletics (track and field) North Dakota State Bison men's track and field athletes Track and field athletes from North Dakota