CJ Williams Competes at the 2025 UIL 5A Track and Field State Championships, where he won the shot put and discus titles
The boys' shot put at the Carl Lewis Invitational once again proved that while the University of Houston's Yeoman Fieldhouse is famous for blistering straightaway speed, it is just as capable of hosting truly historic performances in the ring.
Friday night added another chapter to that legacy, as CJ Williams (Momentum Throws) delivered a performance for the ages. The Frisco Heritage senior and Ole Miss commit unleashed a massive 71-6 (21.79m) on his final attempt to win the competition, a throw that now stands as the 15th-best indoor mark ever by a U.S. high school boy and elevates Williams to US No. 8 all-time indoors. On the Texas all-time list, the toss places him No. 2 indoors, trailing only World Indoor bronze medalist Adrian "Trip" Piperi (The Woodlands), whose 72-5 from 2017 remains the state standard. In the process, Williams eclipsed longtime Texas great Stephen Saenz (2009) and erased Piperi's previous Carl Lewis Invitational meet record of 70-6.
What made the performance even more impressive was the way it unfolded. Just one week earlier, Williams won the Texas High School Indoor Championships with a 65-5¾, backing it up with multiple throws over 64 feet, but he left College Station knowing there was more in the tank. In Houston, that belief quickly became reality. Williams opened with a 66-0, then ramped up the distance with a 67-8 on his second throw. By the third round, he had crossed into elite territory with a 70-3¼, followed by another near-70 mark at 69-6½. After a fifth-round effort of 69-7½, Williams saved his best for last, uncorking the 71-6 bomb that sent shockwaves through the field and solidified his place among the all-time great indoor throwers.
Behind Williams, the competition was deep and competitive. Justin Bordelon finished second with a 62-0¾, while Christopher Godsey and Kaleb Ned battled in the mid-55 range. Several other athletes cracked the 54-55 foot barrier, underscoring the strength of the field even as Williams separated himself by nearly nine feet. With momentum clearly building and potential stops at Lubbock and national championship meets looming, Williams' early-season heater shows no signs of cooling. If Friday night was any indication, the all-time lists may not be done shifting just yet.
Boys Shot Put - Top 10 Results
Carl Lewis Invitational
| Place | Athlete | Team | Best Mark |
|---|
| 1 | CJ Williams | Momentum Throws | 71-6 (21.79m) |
| 2 | Justin Bordelon | Momentum Throws | 62-0¾ (18.92m) |
| 3 | Christopher Godsey | Unattached | 55-11¾ (17.06m) |
| 4 | Kaleb Ned | Unattached | 55-9½ (17.01m) |
| 5 | Trace Calhoun | All American Throwers | 55-0¾ (16.78m) |
| 6 | Paul Kasemervisz | All American Throwers | 54-2¾ (16.53m) |
| 7 | Roy Greene | Flying Refrigerators TC | 54-2¾ (16.53m) |
| 8 | Jackson Hutchison | Throwing Factory | 53-5½ (16.29m) |
| 9 | Dakoda Dement | Unattached | 52-8 (16.05m) |
| 10 | Maxten Hogan | Momentum Throws | 50-8¾ (15.46m) |
