Failed drug tests by top two finishers from Poland results in Osborn becoming first American since 1994 to earn World U-20 shot put gold medal; Piperi elevated to bronze medalist

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Bronson Osborn, a 2017 Esperanza High CA graduate who has yet to throw in college, has been upgraded to the shot put gold medalist at the 2016 IAAF World U-20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

“The medal being changed was out of my hands,” Osborn said. “But now that it’s happened, I’m glad to get it.”

Osborn confirmed Saturday he received a phone call informing him of the upgrade. No timetable has been established thus far for when or where Osborn will exchange his old medal or receive his new one.

Osborn originally earned the bronze medal with a mark of 69 feet, 9.50 inches (21.27m) with the 6-kilogram implement, which ranks him as the No. 3 all-time performer in U.S. prep history.

Poland’s Konrad Bukowiecki had captured the gold medal with a performance of 76-7 (23.34m), which, at the time, was considered to be a World U-20 record. Bukowiecki was then stripped of his title after a drug test revealed the stimulant higenamine, a prohibited substance according to the World Anti-Doping Agency.

That left Romania’s Andrei Toader as the apparent gold medalist after he produced an effort of 73-2 (22.30m).

But Thursday it was reported by Duncan Mackay of Inside The Games that Toader has also been stripped of his medal after it was revealed that he failed a drug test before the July 19, 2016 competition even started.

The Athletics Integrity Unit identified that Toader had tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone in May 2016. Toader received a four-year ban that was retroactive to May 2016 and will end next year.

Toader is one of 25 athletes to have been sanctioned, according to a recent list released by the AIU.

“It’s pretty unusual, but in throwing, all you can control is what you do,” Osborn said. “I don’t spend any time worrying about other throwers or what they might be doing.”

Osborn becomes the first American to secure the World U-20 men’s shot put gold medal since Adam Nelson in 1994.

Also elevated from the 2016 final was fellow American and Texas sophomore Adrian Piperi, who earned the bronze medal with a mark of 67-8 (20.62m). Sweden’s Wictor Petersson was upgraded to silver medalist with an effort of 67-9 (20.65m).

Piperi added a shot put silver medal in July in his second appearance at the World U-20 Championships in Tampere, Finland, setting the American U-20 record of 72-4.50 (22.06m).

Osborn missed his entire senior season in 2017 at Esperanza with a left shoulder injury. He signed with UCLA, but didn’t compete for the Bruins last season and has yet to throw this year.