ESPN Track and Field

INDIANAPOLIS - Adam Nelson spent six rounds dueling with two of the world's top shot put competitors Friday night, and the reigning world champion and two-time Olympic silver medalist was convinced his winning throw could have been even better.

Nelson captured his third national championship with a distance of 72 feet, 3 3/4 inches, beating runner-up Reese Hoffa by three inches before lamenting the one mistake he thought he made.

"I missed it actually," Nelson said. "I've been having problems generating some lift and the minute I do, it's going to be real big."

While Friday night's competition didn't come with the buildup surrounding the more glamorous events like the 100-meter dashes, Nelson, Christian Cantwell and Hoffa provided some intense moments that will be hard to match over the final two days of the U.S. track and field championships.

Cantwell, a former world indoor champion and the defending national champ, was surprised his longest throw of 71-10 was only good enough for third place.

But it wasn't even his best toss of the night.

In the fifth round, Cantwell brought the crowd to its feet when he followed Nelson's winning throw with what was clearly the longest one.

The only problem? He fouled. Had officials measured the throw, Nelson thought it could have challenged the world record. Cantwell also fouled again in the final round after Hoffa passed him.

"If I had kept my foot in, I'm sure I could have done a little more," Cantwell said of the foul. "But that's what happens when you're throwing."

To the competitors, this national championship felt more like a world championship - which wasn't surprising, considering the American domination in this event.

The quartet of Cantwell, Nelson, Hoffa and Dan Taylor has produced 12 of the world's 13 longest throws this year. Taylor finished sixth Friday, more than five feet behind Nelson.

Yet with the other three on top of their game, Nelson suggested this event could have been one for the record books.

"It had all the makings for the best competition ever," Nelson said. "But I think the IAAF rule to reverse the order on the last throw hurt it."

Even so, it did capture the imagination of fans who gathered in the corner of the Carroll Stadium track and responded to the long throws, loud grunts and Nelson's antics like they were rock stars.

Nelson helped create the atmosphere with his usual pre-throw routine - walking onto the grass, clapping his hands above his head with chalk dust flying in the air and then throwing his shirt to the side as if he was angry.

His throws didn't hurt, either.

While fans enjoyed the show, Cantwell did not.

"I don't care for it, but you do what you have to do to get fired up," he said.

Cantwell had to contend with other issues, though. He had the world's three longest throws entering Friday but failed to top 68 feet on his first two. At one point, Cantwell, who has a reputation for faltering in big events, looked over to coach Brett Halter with arms outstretched as if he didn't know what was wrong.

"He didn't get a good release and if you don't get a good release, it means up to four feet," Halter said.

Cantwell, who had surgery to fix an injured right knee and a bad right hip in September, delivered with his third-place throw in the next round. Halter was then hopeful his prized pupil would continue getting stronger.

Instead, Cantwell's next throw went 70-3 1/2 and he fouled on the last two.

Nelson and Hoffa took advantage of the opening.

Nelson nearly passed Cantwell with a throw of 71-8 3/4 in Round 4 and won it on his next throw. Hoffa passed Cantwell on his last throw, producing a remarkable finish few will forget.

"Today I felt very good, like I could respond to anything anybody put up," Nelson said. "But I think it shows that the U.S. is so deep in shot and that anybody can do it. We have four, five or six guys who are capable of throwing like that."

In some cases, even on an off-night.

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press

This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index