Two months after suffering torn groin muscle, two-time NCAA indoor champion looks to keep dream of Division 1 outdoor shot put title alive with big effort in Sacramento

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Mostafa Hassan has built a legacy at Colorado State by getting out in front of the competition, and usually remaining there, both in and out of the shot put ring.

But the two-time NCAA Division 1 Indoor champion, who recently graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering, is now trying to orchestrate the most impressive comeback of his collegiate track and field career.

Hassan, who suffered a torn left groin muscle in late March, enters Saturday’s shot put prelims at the NCAA West Regionals in Sacramento ranked No. 31 in the country, having thrown in only one competition during the outdoor season, May 11 at the Mountain West Conference Championships in Clovis, Calif.

“After indoor, about two weeks later, I was squatting and it was pretty heavy and I felt a pop in my (left) groin and I went and got an MRI and they said it was a 90-percent tear and that it was almost completely ruptured from the bone and that also I strained my (abdominal) muscle, which is attached to the pubic bone,” Hassan said. “So it wasn’t only my groin, it was my ab as well, which, I think, bothers me more than my groin.”

It’s not a familiar, or comfortable, position for the 22-year-old Hassan, who has held the lead at some point in each of the past four NCAA championship meets, winning back-to-back indoor shot put titles in College Station, Texas, along with second- and third-place finishes at the outdoor finals in Eugene, Ore.

“I’ve been struggling with it the whole season,” Hassan said. “It’s a tough area to treat because it’s really hard to get blood flowing through there, so I’ve just been trying to go through the season with it.”

Hassan, who captured his sixth career conference shot put title with a mark of 61-5 (18.72m) to secure his regional qualifying mark, wasn’t confident in exploring a medical redshirt since his two years studying at the American University in Cairo, Egypt before arriving in Fort Collins already counted against him as a redshirt year in terms of eligibility, according to the NCAA.

“They told me the chances are really low of getting (a medical redshirt) and I have to wait until after the season and not compete, so that was too big of a risk,” Hassan said. “I just decided to try my best to finish off the season and recover after that.”

Utah State senior David Hirschmann, who took runner-up to Hassan in the shot put and won the discus throw title at the Mountain West championship meet to qualify for regionals in both events, has profound respect for what Hassan has overcome just to get to this point of the season.

“He’s an amazing competitor,” Hirschmann said. “For him to come back after that injury and do that says a lot about how tough he is.”

Hassan didn’t push the issue physically to win the conference title, only doing what was necessary to make sure he secured his regional qualifier. The five-time All-American, who boasts a personal-best 69-10.75 (21.31m) from last year’s Mt. SAC Relays, knows he must only place among the top 12 at regionals to return to Hayward Field for an opportunity June 6 to contend for another Division 1 title.

“It was pretty painful, so I couldn’t throw 100 percent. It was more like 60 percent, or even 50 percent, on my finish and on my turn. I was a little slower than usual because I was trying to take it easy, not to hurt it more,” Hassan said. “I was pretty confident because I did a lot of mock meets at practice and I was easily over the mark to qualify for regionals, so I didn’t think I would have a problem unless I hurt my groin or I couldn’t compete. Those were the only issues I was afraid of.”

Hassan, who has produced at least a 66-foot effort in the shot put in each of his five previous seasons, will have the benefit of competing against four athletes Saturday who have already surpassed that mark this year, including national leader Payton Otterdahl of North Dakota State at 68-9.25 (20.96m).

If he can qualify for a sixth consecutive NCAA final, an extra 11 days in between competitions could benefit Hassan in his attempt to secure the only shot put championship missing from his collegiate resume.

“Hopefully it will heal up before nationals. If it doesn’t, then I’ll just load up on the painkillers because it only takes one throw to win,” said Hassan, who repeated as indoor champion with a first-round effort of 68-5.25 (20.86m).

“That’s the main motivation because I don’t have an outdoor title, so that’s the only thing missing to get. I’ve won conference, I’ve won nationals indoors, so the only thing left to get is an outdoor title. That’s the main drive for me.”