Fox Chapel junior breaks through in shot put

By: Josh Rizzo
Saturday, February 8, 2025 | 11:01 AM

Claire Conti set the Fox Chapel indoor track and field record in the shot put during her freshman season. Now a junior, Conti spent the past two seasons attempting to find a way to hit the 33-foot mark.

During Tri-State Track Coaches Association meet No. 4 on Feb. 1 at Edinboro, Conti broke through in a big way. Conti finished with a throw of 35 feet, 7.5 inches to place second at the meet.

“That was a big throw for her,” Foxes coach Thomas Moul said. “After she set the record, she seemed stuck in that 33 feet and some change mark. But she motivates herself. She wants to be good. She goes for private instruction with a throwing coach a few days a week.”

Conti has already made waves at the outdoor WPIAL Class 3A championships. She qualified for the PIAA meet in the discus during the past two seasons. Moul said he hopes to see her build her confidence during the rest of the indoor season.

“It was exciting,” Moul said. “We had seen her stuck in one range for a long time and for her first throw to go past it to get that number was important.”

As a team, Fox Chapel turned in a strong meet. Ethan Vaughan won the one-mile run with a time of 4:36.92. The Foxes’ 3,200 meter relay team also placed first at 8:46.58.

Nicky Clump placed eighth in the 300-meter run with a time of 9:27.80.

Moul said he’s happy with how the distance runners are progressing. The Foxes are starting to turn up the intensity of their practices.

“The distance runners haven’t had much to do so far,” Moul said. “We just started having them train hard. I think they will be motivated to get good times.”

On the girls side, Fox Chapel picked up a pair of wins from its relay teams. The 3,200 team won in a time of 10:36.73. In the distance medley relay, Fox Chapel won at 14:21.26.

Anna Kintner finished fourth place in the long jump (15-9) and seventh in the triple jump (15-9).

Tags: Fox Chapel