All-star mech student? NCAA shot put titleholder? The ultimate multi tasker? ALL OF THE ABOVE

Photo provided by Mostafa Hassan.

At the March 2017 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships in College Station, Texas, ME junior, Mostafa Hassan, dominated and threw the shot put 69 feet, 9.5 inches, making him CSU’s first-ever national champion in shot put, and the program’s first national champion since 2005. He crushed his competition by at least 4½ feet and had the four best throws of any athlete at the meet. He also earned his third All-America honor.

“It’s an amazing feeling when all the hard work pays o_ ,” Hassan said, “and you reach a goal that you have been working on for so long.” The native of Cairo, Egypt, has been training in shot put for the past seven years and has competed in three world championships. “The most important thing for me is time management,” Hassan said. “I allocate time for studying, training, eating, and relaxing.”

In the classroom, Hassan’s most memorable experience was his Mech 202 fi nal design competition with Dr. Ben Gadomski. “Dr. Gadomski is always there when I need help on something,” he said. Hassan decided to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering because as a child, he was always interested in how things were made, and, when the time came, CSU’s engineering program seemed like the best fit. “Also, Fort Collins is a great place to live,” he added.

After graduation, he plans to look for a career in the manufacturing sector but, until then, he is going to continue crushing the books and shot put. He also has a realistic shot at competing in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo!

Congrats, Mostafa!