Dynamic duos are all of the rage these days. James Harden and Joel Embiid, Kanye West and Instagram — formidable teams of two are springing up anew with each passing week. They’re ever-present in the movies we watch as well: Matt Reeves’ “The Batman,” which stars the dynamic duo of Batman and Catwoman, is currently dominating the box office.
An imposing duo of Cal’s own is ready to shine this weekend as Camryn Rogers and Josh Johnson will be representing the Bears at the NCAA indoor championships in Birmingham, Alabama. Move over Robert Pattinson and Zoë Kravitz: The real heroes are coming out to play.
Odds are that if you consume Cal track and field content, you’re well-acquainted with Rogers. She represented Canada in last year’s Olympics and placed fifth after becoming the first Canadian woman to make the Olympic hammer throw final. This is something she accomplished despite being almost two years younger than the next-youngest competitor in the field.
On top of that, last year Rogers set the NCAA record in the hammer throw with a mark of 75.52 meters. And, more recently, she smashed her own school record in the weight throw by throwing for 22.73 meters at the Pac-12 Invitational on Feb. 25.
Rogers will be competing in weight throw this weekend in Alabama. She placed sixth at last year’s NCAA indoor championships and currently has the ninth-best throw among the nation’s competitors.
Johnson has quite the resume of his own. An All-American in 2020, he’s only getting better; at last month’s Pac-12 Invitational, he earned a personal best with a throw of 19.93 meters. That throw moved him into second place on the Bears’ all-time list and is the 10th-highest mark in the nation this year.
Since the 2018 outdoor season, Johnson has been constantly improving. In every year since his debut with the team in 2018, he has earned a personal record in the shot put. Such progress is a testament to Johnson’s work ethic and durability.
This weekend, the dynamic duo to watch won’t be one donning Philadelphia 76ers threads, nor capes and cowls — this weekend is about a duo in blue and gold. The sky’s the limit when Rogers and Johnson compete at the NCAA indoor championships.
