Zara Georgia Northover (born 6 March 1984) is a Jamaican shot putter. Northover has dual citizenship in the United States and Jamaica,Conolly, John. NU's Northover on fast track to success, Boston Herald. Published 29 November 2005. Retrieved 10 July 2008. and competed for Jamaica at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Northover attended Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, where she competed on the women's track and field team, and graduated in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in communications and a minor in political science. As a senior, Northover was named Colonial Athletic Association Field Athlete of the Year after winning the shot put, discus and hammer and placing seventh in the javelin, helping lead Northeastern to their first CAA title in any sport.Northover sweeps weight titles as Northeastern women win first-ever CAA championship, CBS College Sports Network. Published 23 April 2007. Retrieved 10 July 2008. Her throw at the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championship during the 2007 outdoor season set both Northeastern and ECAC records.Owen, Nate. , Northeastern News. Published 21 March 2007. Retrieved 10 July 2008. Northover was a five-time NCAA Championship qualifier and had the best national finish of her career in her final season, placing 10th at the NCAA Championship during the 2007 outdoor season,Thompson, Rich. , Boston Herald. Published 16 May 2007. Retrieved 10 July 2008. and was nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award.Grempler, Northover nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year Award, Colonial Athletic Association. Published 21 June 2007. Retrieved 10 July 2008.
Internationally, she finished fifth at the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games.2006 Central American and Caribbean Games results, women's shot put final On 8 June 2008, Northover won the Island Games in Uniondale, New York, with a throw of 17.56 meters, allowing her to compete in the Jamaican Olympic Trials in Kingston, Jamaica.Foster, Anthony. Northover chasing Olympic dream , Jamaica Gleaner. Published 12 June 2008. Retrieved 10 July 2008.Giardino, Carisa. Sewanhaka Alumnus Training for Summer Olympics , Floral Park Dispatch. Published 6 June 2008. Retrieved 10 July 2008.Conolly, John. Ex-NU standout has shot at Beijing, Boston Herald. Published 14 June 2008. Retrieved 10 July 2008. She won the shot put at the Olympic Trials on 28 June 2008, with a throw of 16.78 meters. She was officially selected to represent Jamaica in Beijing by the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association on 8 July 2008, becoming the first Northeastern women’s athlete to compete in a Summer Olympics.Zara Northover to represent Jamaica at Olympics in Beijing , Northeastern University Athletics. Published 9 July 2008. Retrieved 10 July 2008.Bolt, Stewart, Campbell-Brown and Powell head Jamaica's Olympic team , World-track.org. Published 2 July 2008. Retrieved 10 July 2008.
References
External links
Zara Northover at DirectAthletics, Inc.