RATHDRUM, IDAHO, June 26 & 28 — Taking a big jump up at the Iron Wood Throws Classic in what has already been an outstanding season for her, putter Chase Jackson stepped into the ring and launched the longest throw the world had seen since 2013.
Jackson’s 68-8¾ (20.95) first-round blast added 7-¼ inches (19cm) to her 68-1½ (20.76) American Record from the ’23 DL Final and advanced her to the threshold of the 21-meter barrier, a distance Jackson’s recent practice efforts had revealed is within reach.
The last putter to throw farther was 10-time No. 1 World Ranker Valerie Adams of New Zealand 12 years ago — 68-10 (20.98) at the ’13 Zürich DL. In ’13, Jackson (née Ealey) was an Oklahoma State frosh with a 52-6½ (16.01) PR.
While a world apart from the Euro circuit and the interior of Zürich’s main train station where Adams produced the 68-10, the Iron Wood Classic brought an atmosphere of laid-back intensity and focus of its own. Under a cloud-mottled sky at the purpose-built facility adjacent to Idaho state route 53, with Rathdrum Mountain looming on the horizon, rafts of elite throwers looked on as the women putters showed their stuff.
The field included Paris Olympics 4th-placer Jaida Ross; Maggie Ewen, veteran of the last three outdoor WC finals; ’21 Olympic Trials champ Jessica Ramsey and ’22 WC finalist Jessica Woodard.
Jackson, 30, spun quickly out the back and across to the left edge of the toeboard then unloaded with a shout. The ball flew high and far to the left side of the sector. New AR to Jackson. She stepped out the back and raised her left arm with two fingers extended skyward.
“Got a little excited but know I’ve got more in the tank!” she enthused on Instagram.
Behind her, a pair reached 64-foot territory: Ewen 64-7¼ (19.69) and Ross 64-4½ (19.62).
Asked about a rumor she had surpassed 21m (68-10¾) in training before the comp, Jackson confirmed to Dyestat, “The last few sessions I’ve had, I kinda broke that barrier. I made a technical change that just worked really well and we’ve been grinding it down. But I think today after doing my first throw I got kind of excited.
“So, yeah, I think it’s coming. So, like, a little 21 soon, hopefully.”
The remainder of her series saw four fouls and a 67-1¼ (20.45).
Said Jackson of the record heave, “I drove to the board harder. I’ve been really working on that, like, trying to get to the front. So, yeah, I really worked on it well, and I think it happened in the first throw — and then I just wasn’t able to keep going. Because I think it either goes one way where you’ll just have this series of your life or you get a little too excited. That’s kinda what happened with me. Things started going left and right.”
Memorably, Jackson’s was not the first American Record set on a first throw at the Iron Wood site. In pandemic ’20, Valarie Allman threw the discus 230-2 (70.15) for the first knot on her string that has now stretched to 7 ARs.
In the men’s shot, Payton Otterdahl lofted two 72-footers —first 72-2½ (22.01) and then 72-5¾ (22.09) to best Roger Steen’s 71-1½ (21.68).
A true gathering of the tribe for (mostly) U.S. throwers in all four disciplines, the 2-day Ironwood event slate included women’s discus and hammer comps won by World Championships gold medalists. Lagi Tausaga spun the platter 218-5 (66.59) and DeAnna Price’s 252-0 (76.82) with the ball and chain outdistanced Olympic 4th-placer Annette Echikunwoke’s 240-6 (73.31).
IRON WOOD CLASSIC MEN’S RESULTS
SP: I–1. Daniel McArthur (US) 67-2 (20.47) PR.
SP: 1. Payton Otterdahl (US) 72-5¾ (22.09) (68-7, 72-2½, 72-5¾, 71-4, f, f) (20.90, 22.01, 22.09, 21.74, f, f);
2. Roger Steen (US) 71-1½ (21.68); 3. Nick Ponzio (Ita) 69-½ (21.04); 4. McArthur 67-4¾ (20.54) PR.
DT: I–1. Mauricio Ortega (Col) 215-1 (65.56); 2. Robbie Otal (US) 211-11 (64.59); 3. Jordan Roach (US) 206-10 (63.05).
DT: II–1. Andrew Evans (US) 211-10 (64.56); 2. Ortega 209-11 (63.98); 3. Roach 208-10 (63.65); 4. Otal 208-9 (63.64); 5. Joseph Brown (US) 208-5 (63.54); 6. Reggie Jagers )US) 208-2 (63.45).
HT: I–1. Justin Stafford (US) 242-5 (73.88); 2. Alex Young (US) 241-1 (73.49); 3. Tanner Berg (US) 238-2 (72.61); 4. Brock Eager (US) 234-4 (71.44); 5. Diego Del Real (Mex) 231-5 (70.55); 6. Kade McCall (US) 230-5 (70.25).
HT: II–1. Berg 246-6 (75.13); 2. Kieran McKeag (US) 246-5 (75.11); 3. Alex Young (US) 244-3 (74.46); 4. Justin Stafford (US) 241-4 (73.56); 5. Trey Knight (US) 241-1 (73.49); 6. McCall 239-11 (73.12) PR; 7. Del Real 234-0 (71.33); 8. Eager 230-9 (70.35).
JT: II–1. Curtis Thompson (US) 268-10 (81.94); 2. Donavon Banks (US) 248-0 (75.60); 3. Chandler Ault (US) 230-5 (70.24).
IRON WOOD CLASSIC WOMEN’S RESULTS
SP: II–1. Chase Jackson (US) 68-8¾ (20.95) AR (old AR 68-1½/20.76 Jackson ‘23) (WL—farthest in world since 8/13) (68-8¾, f, f, 67-1¼, f, f) (20.95, f, f, 20.45, f, f);
2. Maggie Ewen (US) 64-7¼ (19.69); 3. Jaida Ross (US) 64-4½ (19.62); 4. Jessica Ramsey (US) 61-9 (18.82); 5. Jessica Woodard (US) 60-10¾ (18.56).
DT: I–1. Elena Bruckner (US) 203-3 (61.96); 2. Gabi Jacobs (US) 201-8 (61.47); 3. Pamela Amaechi (Ngr) 194-2 (59.18).
DT: II–1. Lagi Tausaga (US) 218-5 (66.59); 2. Gabi Jacobs (US) 215-5 (65.66); 3. Veronica Fraley (US) 212-1 (64.64);
4. Chioma Onyekwere (Ngr) 206-1 (62.81); 5. Bruckner 203-4 (61.99).
HT: II–1. DeAnna Price (US) 252-0 (76.82); 2. Annette Echikunwoke (US) 240-6 (73.31); 3. Jalani Davis (US) 234-8 (71.53) PR; 4. Erin Reese (US) 231-9 (70.64); 5. Stephanie Ratcliffe (Aus) 229-10 (70.05).
JT: II–1. Madison Wiltrout (US) 188-8 (57.50); 2. Maddie Harris (US) 183-10 (56.04); 3. Rhema Otabor (Bah) 179-0 (54.56); 4. Sarah Blake (US) 178-9 (54.49); 5. Ariana Ince (US) 178-1 (54.29).
