Los Alamos High School alumnus Chase Ealy adds another achievement to her stellar athletics career by winning the women’s shot put event over the weekend with a mark of 18.62m/61-1.25  at the Toyota USA Track and Field Indoor Championships. Photo Courtesy OSU Athletics

BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com

Los Alamos High School and Oklahoma State University alumnus Chase Ealey won the women’s shot put event over the weekend in the Toyota USA Track and Field Indoor Championships at New York City Park’s Ocean Breeze Athletics Complex on Staten Island.

Ealey had a throw of 18.62 meters, just short of her personal best of 18.84 meters.

During her high school career, Ealey won the New Mexico 4A 100 meter and the 4×100 meter relay state championships three-straight years. She also won the New Mexico state championship in shot put and javelin in 2011 and helped LAHS to win three straight state team championships.  She was the highest scoring female at the state meet in 2011.

Ealey also competed on the LAHS varsity basketball and volleyball teams and was named to the all-distric team in both sports.  She was named all-district player of the year in volleyball and played on the all-state team. Ealey also played on the junior varsity soccer and softball teams.

Michelle Naranjo-Martinez, Ealey’s mother said Monday morning she is very excited about her win.

“I am so happy for her and wish I could have been there,” she said.

Naranjo-Martinez credited her daughter with a lot of hard work, dedication and determination.  Ealey is coached by former Olympian and U.S. champion Ryan Whiting. She is the throws coach for the Hamilton Huskies in Chandler, Ariz.

There won’t be much rest for Ealey this week as she heads to New Zealand on Friday for three weeks under an Athletics New Zealand in which she will tour and compete. Shotputter Tomas Walsh who won an Olympic bronze medal for New Zealand in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, a gold medal at Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games and a silver medal at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games is involved in that program.

Ealey left Oklahoma State University in 2016 as the most accomplished thrower in OSU history. She was a record holder in javelin – 46.80m/152-06 and shot put –  17.39m/57-0.75.

Also in 2016, she competed in the Olympic Trials and is hoping to do so again in 2020.

Despite her success, Ealey is very humble, Naranjo-Martinez said.

“She will probably be mad at me for bragging about her, but I am just so proud of everything she has accomplished,” she said. “I am always so happy to see kids from Los Alamos in college-level sports and beyond.”