Los Alamos grad Ealey is world champ in shot put

Jul. 17—America's first gold medal of the World Track and Field outdoor championships was won by a Los Alamos High product.

Chase Ealey captured the women's shot put title Saturday night at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. She is the first American ever to win the event at the meet.

Ealey threw 20.49 meters (67 feet, 2 3/4 inches) with her first attempt, and that effort held up through all six rounds of the event.

Lijiao Gong of China won silver with a season-best 20.39 meters (66-10 3/4), and Jessica Schilder of The Netherlands took bronze (19.77, 64-10 1/2).

Ealey had thrown 20.51 meters (67-3 1/2) last month during the U.S. Championships, also at Hayward Field. That is her personal best and had earned her the No. 1 ranking coming into the world championships.

Ealey turns 28 on July 20. She wowed prep track and field fans in New Mexico in 2012 when, for Los Alamos, she won both the shot put and the 100-meter dash in her classification.