LARAMIE, Wyo. – Former Cowboy and 2016 Olympian Mason Finley is set to represent the United States at the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London, as he will compete in the men's discus throw on Friday against a plethora of the world's best throwers.

Two groups of 16 throwers each will compete in a qualifying round on Friday. Finley will throw alongside fellow American Rodney Brown in Group A, which is set for 12:20 p.m. MT, while their American teammate Andrew Evans will compete in Group B later in the afternoon. Any thrower to clear 64.5 meters, and at least the top 12 performers, will advance to the final round on Saturday for a chance to medal.  

The 2017 World Championships marks the second straight summer that Finley will represent his country in discus competition on an international stage. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he became the first American discus thrower to advance to the final round of competition since Casey Malone qualified for the finals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. 

The former Cowboy finished 11th at the 2016 Olympics, with the best of his six throws checking in at 208 feet, 11 inches (63.68m). Finley, who was a First Team All-American in the discus in 2014 under former UW throws coach Paul Barrett, boasts a 2017 best of 214-10 (65.48m). That mark ranks 15th in the field of 32 competitors at the 2017 IAAF World Championships.  

Stay tuned to GoWyo.com for additional information about Finley's performance in London.