Further Information 

Competition Stats

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Shot Put: 1997 (U16) - 5th, 1999 (U18) - 1st, 2000 - 9th, (U20) - 2nd, 2000 (Olympic Games Trial) - 5th, 2001 - 2nd, (U20) - 1st, 2002 - 8th, 2003 - 3rd, 2004 - 2nd, 2005 - 2nd, 2006 - 1st, 2007 - DNC, 2008 - 2nd
Discus: 1997 (U16) - 9th, 1999 (U18) - 4th, 2000 (U20) - 3rd, 2000 (Olympic Games Trial) - 6th, 2001 - 4th, (U20) - 1st, 2002 - 5th, 2003 - 2nd, 2004 - 1st, 2005 - 1st, 2006 - 1st

INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:
World Junior Championships: 2000 - shot put 11th (17.60m), discus qual (50.56m)
World Youth Championships: 1999 - shot put 6th (18.71m)
East Asian Games: 2001 - shot put 3rd (18.41m), discus 5th (52.37)
Commonwealth Games: 2006 - shot put 3rd (19.48m), discus 1st (63.48m)
World Cup: 2006 - shot put 4th (20.25m), discus 5th (60.93m)
World Championships: 2007 - shot put qual round (19.81m)
World Indoor Championships: 2008 - shot put 7th (20.13m)

ANNUAL PROGRESSION:

Shot put:
1998 15.23m
1999 16.68m
2000 17.28m
2001 18.41m
2002 18.29m
2003 18.81m
2004 19.53m
2005 20.10m
2006 20.38m
2007 20.52m
2008 21.26m

Discus throw:
1999 50.38m
2000 51.70m
2001 54.90m
2002 58.22m
2004 63.78m
2005 62.58m
2006 64.00m
2007 61.65m

EVENTS / PERSONAL BESTS:
Shot put: 21.26m - Melbourne, 21/02/08
Discus throw: 64.00m - Melbourne, 14/01/06

RECORD(S):
National record - shot put: 21.26m - Melbourne, 21/02/08
National U20 record - shot put (6kg): 19.78m - Melbourne, 8/12/01
National Indoor record - shot put: 20.83 - Valencia, 7/03/08

Interesting Facts

Scott was raised in Wodonga, on the Victorian side of the NSW/Victoria border.  He competed at Wodonga Little Athletics, dominating the throws, but also performing well in sprints and jumping events.  He played bass guitar in a band and enjoys a game of darts or golf when not training.

Leading into the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, Scott was prominent in a series of TV commercials for the National Australia Bank, in which he starred as a ballet dancer. He is coached by seven-time Australian hammer throw champion Gus Puopolo.

Sporting Career

After a patchy underage domestic career, Scott immediately showed he had the capacity to perform at high levels when given the chance - finishing sixth in the shot put at the 1999 World Youth Championships in Poland.

He gained more experience taking on older athletes at the 2000 Olympic Trials, claiming PBs in the shot put and discus, gaining selection for that year’s World Junior Championships in Chile in the process - where he made the shot final.

Scott won both National Junior titles in 2001 and, although still at school, was selected in the Australian team for the East Asian Games where he added 21cm to his senior shot put best with an 18.41m effort.

Whilst his early success was mainly in shot put, by the end of 2003 Scott was demonstrating increased prowess in the discus following a move to Melbourne after a short stint in Sydney. He won the National title in the three years that followed.

New PBs of 19.53m and 63.78m in 2004 showed he was well on the way to even bigger and brighter things; they came with a memorable victory at the 2006 Commonwealth Games discus in Melbourne - his last round throw of 63.48m was followed by a dash to the fence to embrace coach Gus Puopolo. It more than made amends for the gold he felt he should have won earlier in the shot.

His emergence on the world stage preceded an outstanding tour of Europe, where he fearlessly mixed it with the best in both events - culminating with a wonderful personal best of 20.38m to place a precocious fifth in the IAAF World Athletics Final and a heave of 20.25m to take fourth in the World Cup in Athens with 20.25m.

After a new shot PB in Hobart early in 2007 and a good second to American Christian Cantwell at the IAAF WAT meet in Melbourne, Scott’s immediate plans were railroaded by a serious foot injury which required immediate surgery. By the end of July, however, after a speedy recuperation, return to training and competition, things were back on track - highlighted by a PB in Madrid.

Scott threw the shot at his first World Championships in Osaka in August, missing qualification for the final. Despite the disappointment, he was heartened by his return from a gruelling injury and the chance to compete against the Worlds best.  The regard with which he is held was also evident when awarded joint captaincy of the Australian team with long jumper Bronwyn Thompson.

He started 2008 with yet another shot put personal best, throwing 20.63m at the Sydney Track Classic, before claiming the Australian record at the World Athletics Tour Melbourne with 21.26m.

Needing to win the National Championships to automatically be nominated for the Beijing team, the 130kg giant threw 20.19m to fall an agonisingly 2cm short to Justin Anlezark (20.21m). However, the selectors gave Scott the nod and he would be nominated to the Australian Olympic Committee for selection into the Australian team for the 2008 Olympic Games.

Shortly after the disappointment of the National Championships Scott flew to Valencia for the World Indoors. With a point to prove, he launched the shot 20.83m in qualifying to secure a place in the final and the National Indoor record.

Amongst a stellar field, Scott threw 20.13m in the final to finish seventh, building his confidence on the road to Beijing.