NCAA Women’s Discus — A Wild & Crazy Final Round

In the final 3 throws, Maggie Ewen went from 2nd to 3rd to 1st. (MIKE SCOTT)

After an exhausting, topsy-turvy afternoon of torrential rain, causing the discus to be contested even when their fellow competitors in the HJ and TJ were allowed to shelter, the weather suddenly cleared for the final three throws of a competition that was crucial to the nail-biter team battle.

Valarie Allman was leading at 194-3 (59.20) from round 2—putting her Stanford Cardinal in contention for the overall title—just ahead of Maggie Ewen (192-0/58.52) and Jamaican Shadae Lawrence (191-1/58.24). The meet was nearing its conclusion and for a few moments, all eyes were on the discus as Lawrence, the favored defending champion, stepped into the ring. She nailed it, dead center, and threw her arms in the air as she moved into the lead at 195-9 (59.68).

Ewen, the shot winner 2 days earlier, was next. In round 5, she had had a feeble throw in which she walked out of the ring. Was her heralded college career over? “Last chance, last opportunity ever in my college career… my last chance to do something in my favorite event,” the Arizona State senior said. (Ewen rated as T&FN‘s No. 1 prep discus all-America, and was also No. 1 in the shot, in ’13, her HS senior year)

Again the big crowd roared as the discus sailed toward the 60m (196-10) line: 198-5 (60.48), displacing Lawrence and pushing Allman to 3rd. Allman, who had led since the second round, had the final throw. But for the Stanford senior, it was not to be. Her collegiate finale, an intentional foul, was short of 190.

Said Ewen, “It was crazy; I mean, off-and-on rain and hail. We all tried to stay mentally strong and be there for each other because we all understood how hard we all worked to get here.”


NCAA WOMEN’S DISCUS RESULTS

(June 09)

1. Maggie Ewen (AzSt) 198-5 (60.48)

(166-6, 192-0, f, 163-8, f, 198-5) (50.76, 58.52, f, 49.88, f, 60.48);

2. *Shadae Lawrence’ (KsSt) 195-9 (59.68)

(160-9, 189-4, f, f, 191-1, 195-9) (49.00, 57.70, f, f, 58.24, 59.68);

3. Valarie Allman (Stan) 194-3 (59.20)

(133-10, 194-3, 176-9, 176-5, 182-2, f) (40.80, 59.20, 53.89, 53.78, 55.53, f);

4. **Laulauga Tausaga (Ia) 183-11 (56.07)

(f, 183-11, f, 177-0, f, f) (f, 56.07, f, 53.97, f, f);

5. *Gabi Jacobs (Mo) 182-0 (55.47)

(182-0, 162-10, 181-7, f, 181-2, f) (55.47, 49.65, 55.36, f, 55.22, f);

6. Calea Carr (ArSt) 179-4 (54.67) PR

(163-8, 178-1, f, 179-4, f, f) (49.89, 54.28, f, 54.67, f, f);

7. ***Obi Amaechi (Prin) 177-8 (54.16)

(151-5, f, 177-8, f, 127-6, 176-2) (46.17, f, 54.16, f, 38.87, 53.70);

8. Katelyn Daniels (MiSt) 176-8 (53.84)

(f, 162-7, 176-8, f, 173-4, f) (f, 49.57, 53.84, f, 52.83, f);

9. Ieva Zarankaitė’ (FlSt) 176-6 (53.80)

(176-6, 167-1, 169-8, f, f, 163-6) (53.80, 50.92, 51.71, f, f, 49.84);

10. Micaela Hazlewood (Pur) 173-5 (52.87);

11. Agnes Esser’ (Mn) 171-4 (52.23);

12. ***Alexranda Emilianov’ (Ks) 168-4 (51.30);

13. **Serena Brown’ (TxAM) 165-7 (50.48);

14. **Shanice Love’ (FlSt) 165-5 (50.43);

15. **Elena Bruckner (Tx) 164-8 (50.19);

16. ***Debbie Ajagbe (Mia) 164-0 (49.99);

17. Lloydricia Cameron (Fl) 157-2 (47.90);

18. **Divine Oladipo’ (Ct) 151-2 (46.09);

19. *Portious Warren’ (Al) 147-11 (45.08);

20. *Abigale Wilson (Akr) 134-11 (41.13);

21. ***Ashley Anumba (Penn) 108-11 (33.21);

… 3f—Claudia Ababio’ (Md), ***Alyssa Wilson (UCLA), Jessica Woodard (Ok). □

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