CCU alumna Campbell comes up just short of securing another appearance for Team USA

Amber Campbell’s track and field career could be down to just three events.

The Coastal Carolina alumna finished fourth in the women’s hammer throw (241 feet, 5 inches) Sunday at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, coming up short of landing a spot with Team USA for the IAAF World Championships later this summer.

The top three make the U.S. squad and will represent the country at the World Championships in August in London. Gwen Berry (245-3) won the event and will be joined by Maggie Ewen (244-7) and Deanna Price (243-0) on the U.S. squad.

“I honestly can’t be too disappointed with my performance. It was one of the most consistent and best series that I’ve had in my career, so even though I didn’t make the team I’m very proud of how I competed,” Campbell said. “I started out a little wacky when I hit the cage, but I stepped it up from there and kept building every round. So yeah, I’m very happy with my performance.”

Campbell said Saturday that her current plan is to retire after the season, which now encompasses just three more events as she will compete as a member of the Philadelphia Force in the three-meet TrackTown USA Summer Series beginning Thursday.

“It’s definitely a bit more of a reality that since I didn’t make the world team I could possibly only have three meets left in my career,” Campbell said Sunday. “But I’m going to finish out the season thinking just about the season and then make my decision after that.”

Campbell’s best toss Sunday was more than 13 feet better than that of fifth-place finisher Amanda Bingson (228-2). Should one of the top three withdraw for any reason, Campbell would join Team USA as the first alternate.

“The competition is the best it’s ever been for women in the U.S.,” she said.

For now, though, Campbell is shifting her focus to the TrackTown USA Summer Series, a co-ed four-team event that will include meets at three sites this summer – San Francisco (June 29), Portland (July 2) and New York City (July 6).

“I think it’s going to be some serious, top-level competition. and I think the crowd will be pleased with how we perform,” Campbell said.

Her top competition likely will be Bingson, a member of the New York Empire. Campbell plans to enjoy the series, but she also would like to finish it as a winner – especially if the competition will cap her career.

“[I’m going to] just have some fun and try to push my mark out,” she said. “I definitely want to finish this season on as high a note as possible. Since I won’t be chasing a world medal, I’m going to try to finish at the top in the TrackTown series.”

Campbell won U.S. hammer throw championships in 2010, 2012 and 2015. Campbell has finished as runner-up in the outdoor event four times (2008, 2009, 2011, 2014). In addition, she has won six USA indoor weight throw titles (2007-2012) while finishing as runner-up four times (2005, 2006, 2013, 2014).

Campbell also competed in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.

This story was originally published June 25, 2017 at 4:40 PM with the headline "CCU alumna Campbell comes up just short of securing another appearance for Team USA."