THREE WOMEN — world champion Lagi Tausaga, Olympic champion Valarie Allman, and NCAA champion Veronica Fraley — began the Trials having met the Games Q-standard. Jayden Ulrich stood high enough in the WA ranking scheme to probably advance to Paris, but she would have to finish in the top 3 here to make that possible.
Allman — owner of the top 11 marks (and 27 of the top 30) on the U.S. all-time list — entered as the clear favorite. Her single throw in the qualifying round only reinforced that: 232-7 (70.89), a meet record and the third-longest of her career. It was also the longest-ever Q-round cast and the longest throw in ’24 that did not occur at Ramona, Oklahoma.
Ulrich upheld her bid with a 208-8 (63.61), and Fraley was third-best at 206-2 (62.85).
Meanwhile, Tausaga had a foot-foul, then a wild out-of-sector toss that skated across the long jump pit and the track. Her third was long and low down the left foul line, but when the disc ignored her shouted urging and landed outside the line, her Olympic bid was over.
The final was held on a virtually windless late afternoon, a rarity at Hayward Field.
Allman, resplendent in lime-green kit and shoes, began with a safe 220-5 (67.19) throw. In the second round, she improved to 223-4 (68.09), then fouled with a throw that scattered photographers and officials.
At the end of three rounds, Fraley stood 2nd with what would be her best effort of the day, 205-2 (62.54). Ulrich was 3rd (202-10/61.82), Shelby Frank 4th, (a PR 201-11/61.55) and Erika Beistle 5th.
Allman, spinning in the ring and whipping the disc out with great speed, was not satisfied. She improved again, to 228-9 (69.72), better than the mark that won her the Tokyo Olympics. After a 221-11 (67.64) in the fifth, she entered the ring for the last throw of the event. The disc sailed to the left, but stayed fair, landing at 232-0 (70.73) — the No. 4 all-time U.S. and Allman performance.
Behind her, Ulrich improved in round 4 to 205-5 (62.63), good for 2nd, and would remain there ahead of Fraley. Then the unheralded Beistle, who has improved 32 feet this year, hit a PR 205-1 (62.50), her second of the meet, to place 4th.
“Tonight is one I’ll always remember,” said the happy winner. “I feel like my training, my technique, my competitions are all coming together the last 6 months. The last 2 years, I felt pressure, and it was difficult at the last two Worlds, not being able to respond when I was behind. I had lost that excitement that I felt in 2021. But it’s back now, and I gained a lot of confidence from today’s series of throws.”
WOMEN’S DISCUS RESULTS
FINAL (June 27)
1. Valarie Allman (AsicsNYAC) 232-0 (70.73) (x, 3 4)
(220-5, 223-4, f, 228-9, 221-11, 232-0) (67.19, 68.09, f, 69.72, 67.64, 70.73);
2. Jayden Ulrich (Louis) 205-5 (62.63)
(202-10, 196-4, f, 205-5, 199-4, 191-6) (61.82, 59.85, f, 62.63, 60.77, 58.37);
3. Veronica Fraley (Vand) 205-2 (62.54)
(192-9, 201-3, 205-2, 197-0, 200-0, 193-3) (58.76, 61.35, 62.54, 60.06, 60.96, 58.90);
4. Erika Beistle (GVal) 205-1 (62.50) PR
(201-4, 193-11, 193-8, 187-2, 200-3, 205-1) (61.36, 59.11, 59.02, 57.04, 61.04, 62.50);
5. Shelby Frank (Mn) 201-11 (61.55) PR
(191-2, 197-10, 201-11, 201-2, f, 198-4) (58.27, 60.30, 61.55, 61.32, f, 60.47);
6. Elena Bruckner (unat) 197-8 (60.26)
(195-9, 185-7, 197-7, f, f, 197-8) (59.66, 56.58, 60.22, f, f, 60.26);
7. Micaela Hazlewood (Vel) 193-4 (58.93)
(179-4, 193-4, f, 186-8, f, f) (54.66, 58.93, f, 56.90, f, f);
8. Jordyn Bryant (Fres) 192-10 (58.78)
(192-10, 185-0, f, f, f, f) (58.78, 56.40, f, f, f, f);
9. Kaia Harris (unat) 189-0 (57.62); 10. Cierra Jackson (Fres) 188-5 (57.43); 11. Alexandra Freeman (Vel) 174-7 (53.23); 12. Kat Moody (Ia) 168-4 (51.30).
QUALIFYING (June 24)
Qualifiers: Allman 232-7 (70.89) (x, 3 A) ( (farthest Q-mark ever) (MR),
Ulrich 208-8 (63.61), Fraley 206-2 (62.85), Beistle 202-4 (61.68) PR, Bruckner 201-3 (61.35), Hazlewood 195-0 (59.44), Frank 193-2 (58.89), Moody 192-5 (58.66), Jack-son 189-4 (57.72), Harris 188-5 (57.44), Freeman 188-1 (57.32), Bryant 187-10 (57.26);
Non-qualifiers: Jasmine Blair (Cal) 186-10 (56.95), Michaela Hawkins (CoSt) 184-7 (56.26), Gabi Jacobs (unat) 184-6 (56.25), Faith Bender (OhSt) 181-3 (55.26), Corinne Jemison (Mi) 181-3 (55.24), Maura Huwalt (Aub) 180-5 (55.00), Hallee Mohr (Hi) 178-5 (54.39), Ashley Petr (unat) 172-4 (52.53), Maura Kimmel (unat) 159-3 (48.54);… 3f—Lagi Tausaga (Nike), Paige Low (Ok), Essence Henderson (unat).