Her shoes were on time. So was Claire O’Brien.

The Ford junior won a second consecutive Division 1 regional shot put championship when she threw 34 feet, 4 inches at Romeo on Friday.

“I’m very excited and really grateful for the opportunity,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien made her throws in a new pair of shoes.

One of the old shoes developed a hole in the toe, so she ordered a new pair online.

The replacements didn’t arrive until the 11th hour, and her dad delivered the orange Nikes to Romeo moments before O’Brien’s first put.

“It’s been crazy,” Ford throws coach Tony Smith said with a smile.

Shoes weren’t the only new feature of O’Brien’s game.

She changed this season from a step-back throwing technique to a spin move.

“It definitely helped out a lot,” O’Brien said. “It helps me get more momentum into my throws, a lot more power.

“I use my power to throw.”

A former powerlifter, O’Brien started throwing midway through her freshman season, after a case of shin splints kept her out of running events.

“I could tell she had potential, that she could do it,” Smith said. “She was a pretty athletic kid. The big thing was, she was learning. She did a good job.”O’Brien’s powerlifting experience made a difference in her throwing, Smith added.

“There are some things there that help,” he said.

O’Brien qualified for the Macomb County Invitational as a ninth grader. Last year, she threw 33-4 to win her first regional championship and went a season-best 34-1.5 at the state finals.

O’Brien also plays basketball. Last winter, Ford tied for the Macomb Area Conference Red Division championship and then won district and regional titles.

The extended hoops season forced her to miss more than a week of track and field practice.

When she did start training for throws, O’Brien wasn’t deterred by the typically unsettled Michigan weather, Smith said.

“Cold, snow, it didn’t matter,” the coach said. “We were outside working. She’s a positive kid.

“We’ve worked on the spin (move) all year. We are always tweaking stuff.”

O’Brien threw a personal-best 36-10.5 at the Anchor Bay Invitational on May 2.

She had marks of 36-0 while finishing third at the Dakota Invitational on May 10 and 36-2 while winning the MAC White championship at Port Huron Northern three days later.

“Claire’s a hard worker,” Smith said. “She’s focused. She’s a lot of fun to coach.”

O’Brien won the regional by 1.75 inches.

“Today wasn’t her best day, but she was grinding out there,” Smith said. “That’s the kind of kid she is.”

The Macomb County Invitational is Wednesday at Fraser.

The state finals are at East Kentwood on May 31.

“I really want to get a PR at states,” O’Brien said.