By Suzy Alstrin
A record-breaking javelin throw in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) qualified Reinhardt University’s David Friedberg (RU-2024) for the U.S. Olympic Trials. At the recent Berry Field Day Invitational in Rome, GA, he threw 76.08 meters which equals nearly 250 feet, or over 83 yards.
Named an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Men’s Outdoor Field and Track Athlete of the Week for the third time this season, Friedberg now ranks first in the NAIA in the javelin and eighth in the nation, on both pro and collegiate levels.
The 2024 Olympic trials take place this June in Eugene, Oregon. Whether or not he makes it to the Paris games in July, Friedberg already has his eye on the 2028 Olympic games in Los Angeles and plans to keep training. In the meantime, a consistent throw at the national championship on May 22nd could earn the All-American his third consecutive NAIA title.
Until he came to Reinhardt, Friedberg had never touched a javelin. Friedberg says he was competing in the triple jump his freshman year when a coach asked if he’d be interested in learning, “I picked up a javelin for the first time, and as things progressed, I started competing. I fell in love with the javelin and it just stuck with me.”
After winning his first national championship during sophomore year he says, “That’s when my mentality changed of what I want to do in the future. Over the past few years, I’ve been working hard and now it’s to the point that I think I can do this professionally.”
Friedberg, from Ellabell, Georgia, also plays wide receiver on Reinhardt’s conference-winning football team and scored several touchdowns each season.
Friedberg has a strong connection with Coach Josh White and believes their decision to train all spring, rather than participate in spring football, contributed to his successes this season. He is excited to see how much further he can go, “This is only my third season ever throwing javelin. So, I’m still really young to the event. I have a lot of room to grow.”
While training six days a week, usually twice daily, Friedberg says school is still his priority. His grades earned him dean’s list recognition several times. Following graduation on May 3rd with a degree in sport studies, he plans to remain at Reinhardt to earn a master’s degree in business and play one last football season. During track and field season, he will compete individually, primarily at professional meets to gain points toward the world rankings.
Someday, Friedberg hopes to own an athletic-related business and train kids. He plans to work toward that while training and competing, “Honestly, one of the big goals now is to eventually make the Olympics and win a gold medal.”
