Jarred Rome competing in the men's discus throw qualification round at the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Championships on Aug. 19, 2009 in Berlin, Germany.
Two-time Olympic discus thrower Jarred Rome died on Saturday in Tulalip, Washington. He was 42.
His death was confirmed by his sister, Monica Rome, who told the Everett, Washington, newspaper The Daily Herald that he was found dead by friends on Saturday morning. He was in Tulalip, near his hometown of Marysville, to celebrate his induction into the Snohomish County Sports Hall of Fame, held on Wednesday in Everett. He went out with friends at the Tulalip Resort Casino on Friday and reportedly wasn’t feeling well, and he was found unresponsive on Saturday.
Rome was a six-time NCAA Division I All-American at Boise State. A two-time national champion, he represented the U.S. at the Olympic Games Athens 2004 and London 2012, where he finished 14th and 31st, respectively. He won silver at the 2011 Pan American Games and competed at four world championships.
The nation’s No. 1-ranked thrower in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2011, Rome got as high as No. 3 in the world ranking in 2011 with a career best of 68.76 meters/225-7. He was also ranked in the top 10 in the world in the shot put during three different seasons.
After ending his competitive career, Rome turned to coaching. He served as the director of the Iron Wood Thrower Development Camp in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and was a part-time track and field assistant coach for throws at Boston University. He’d been promoted to full-time assistant coach in August.
Darci Miller is a contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
