A former SIU thrower added a gold medal to her trophy case this summer after winning the hammer throw at the World University Games in Russia.

Jeneva McCall, of Dolton, won the July 10 event with a throw of 73.75 meters, beating perennial Russian power Oxana Kondratyeva. This is the first time Kondratyeva has lost to an American woman. McCall was also the first American woman to medal in the event at an international meet.

During her time in Carbondale, McCall, a 2012 graduate in psychology, was a 13-time all-american, a 15-time Missouri Valley Conference champion and a three-time NCAA champion along with many other honors. She was the NCAA champion in the discus throw in 2010, and the weight throw and hammer throw champion in 2012.

After taking the gold in Russia, McCall has continued training to compete in August at the International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships in Moscow.

McCall said her throwing coach John Smith has helped her in many ways, but there is one thing he helped her with the most.

“The main thing he helped me with is listening to me,” McCall said. “He helped me develop my ideas.”

Since her graduation, McCall said her coaches have helped her stay productive in her free time.

“You always want to be productive, it’s the only way you grow,” McCall said. “If you sit still, you will learn hardly anything and you’ll stay the same person.”

McCall comes from a very successful and athletic family. Her father, Oliver McCall, became a heavyweight champion boxer after knocking out Lennox Lewis in 1994. One of her brothers, Mika’il McCall, is a running back for the Salukis and another brother, Elijah McCall, is a professional boxer.

McCall said not only being an athlete but also being the best is instilled in her because of her family. It’s always a competition with her brothers, too, she said.

“I need to be the best overall,” she said. “It’s a mindset, it’s reality, part of our culture within our family. You have to be an athlete.”

Head track and field coach Connie Price-Smith, a four-time Olympian and winner of 25 national titles, said McCall was a leader as one of the older athletes on the team in Russia.

As a graduate, McCall said she has more time to train now than before.

Being a professional athlete is different from being a student-athlete because you can devote more time to training, Price-Smith said.

“It gives you more time to train and get a better base,” Smith-Price said.

Even while a student, McCall’s coaches said she was a dedicated athelete.

Smith said he can’t remember McCall ever missing a day of practice and it will be difficult to replace her in the future.

“Can you replace a three-event athlete like Jeneva?” Smith said. “No, you can’t.”

Smith said he was sitting in Harbaugh’s Café when he found out McCall had won the gold medal. Smith said when he heard she threw 73.75 meters, he knew she would probably win.

“She beat the Russians in Russia. You don’t do that, that doesn’t happen,” Smith said. “The hammer and sickle are on their flag, they don’t lose the hammer.”