Jalal Keshmiri

Jalal Keshmiri

Personal information
Birth name	جلال کشمیری
Born	25 March 1938 Tehran, Iran
Died	6 February 1999 (aged 60) Reno, Nevada, U.S.
Height	192 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight	114 kg (251 lb)
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Discus throw, shot put
Achievements and titles
Personal best	DT – 61.06 m (1974)
Medal record Representing Iran Asian Games 1974 Tehran Shot put 1974 Tehran Discus 1966 Bangkok Discus 1970 Bangkok Shot put 1970 Bangkok Discus 1966 Bangkok Shot put Asian Championships 1973 Manila Discus 1975 Seoul Discus

Jalal Ali "Joe" Kashmiri, better known as Jalal Keshmiri (Persian: جلال کشمیری, b. 25 March 1938 – d. 6 February 1999) was an Iranian shot putter and discus thrower. Between 1966 and 1974 he won two gold, three silver and one bronze medal in these events at the Asian Games. He competed in the discus at the 1968 Summer Olympics and placed 20th.

Biography

Keshmiri started as an association football goalkeeper. During one game, a practicing athlete threw a discus that almost hit Keshmiri's head. Angry Keshmiri threw it back and was noticed by the athletics coach. By the age of 19 he switched from football to athletics. In the 1970s he studied physical education at University of Nevada, United States, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1974. By that time Iranian officials considered him an American citizen and excluded him from the 1972 Olympic team.

After moving to the United States, he went by the name Joe Keshmeri. Competing in the masters division, he briefly held the masters M60 world record in the shot put. He has held the M60 American record in the discus throw since 1998. He died from cancer in Reno, Nevada, aged 60.

Keshmiri married in Iran in 1965 and had two sons: Kamal (Kamy) and Jamal (Jamy). Kamy became an American discus thrower.