NCAA Women’s Hammer — A Massive Improvement For Stewart

Janeah Stewart upped her PR all the way from 224-3 to 239-3. (MIKE SCOTT)

This was expected to be Maggie Ewen’s collegiate hammer swansong, a defense of her ’17 title and a possible extension of her CR, established at last year’s meet and improved twice this spring. But fate intervened, and the Arizona State senior inexplicably fouled three times at the West Regional. The favorite’s role thus shifted to Northern Arizona’s Brooke Andersen, No. 2 on the all-time list, who enjoyed a nearly 20-foot advantage ahead of the next closest entrant. But there was a surprise in store in the deepest competition in meet history.

Kansas State soph Helene Ingvaldsen led the first flight with a PR 212-6 (64.77). Then, as so often happens at this meet, the formchart took a beating. Throwing third in the second round of the second flight, No. 2 seed Janeah Stewart, owner of a PR of 224-3 (68.36), spun quickly and unloaded a bomb. It was immediately obvious to the large crowd of onlookers that this was a big one; even so, the Mississippi senior’s 239-3 (72.92) was a stunner. Suddenly, Andersen’s edge had evaporated. Six throws later, after Tennessee’s Stamatia Scarvelis had moved into 3rd with a PR of her own, 224-5 (68.41), Andersen responded. Her 234-9 (71.56) brought her within striking distance of the leader.

In the third round, Andersen displayed excellent form and great speed in the ring as she launched the bulb out to 239-1 (72.87). She was now only 2 inches back, but she could get no closer. Stewart managed only one other throw over 230, but her best was enough, advancing her to No. 4 on the all-time collegiate list.

Andersen, who put up a trio of 230s, had to be content with her second silver and the distinction of producing the longest non-winning mark in meet history.

Said Stewart, who became the No. 10 American ever, and No. 4 among collegians, “I didn’t really think I would become a national champion. My coach always told me I had the ability to do it. But hey, he told me to just go out and throw it, and I did. I went out there and took deep breaths and just tried to take every throw nice and easy.”

Behind the top two, Scarvelis, a junior, held onto 3rd and further improved her PR to 226-8 (69.10). UCLA frosh Alyssa Wilson, the youngest of the final 9 throwers, recorded a PR 219-9 (66.99) , good for 4th as well as No. 2 on the all-time U.S. Junior list. The next 3 all produced PRs as well: North Dakota State soph Maddy Nilles at 218-1 (66.49), Virginia Tech junior Pavla Kuklová at 217-1 (66.18), and Ingvaldsen.


NCAA WOMEN’S HAMMER RESULTS

(June 07)

1. Janeah Stewart (Ms) 239-3 (72.92) PR (10, x A; 4, 10 C; 2, 2 NCAA)

(225-5, 239-3, 233-4, f, f, 223-4) (68.72, 72.92, 71.12, f, f, 68.09);

2. Brooke Andersen (NnAz) 239-1 (72.87) (3, 3 NCAA)

(229-1, 234-9 [3, 3 NCAA], 239-1, 229-6, 233-8, 229-7) (69.82, 71.56, 72.87, 69.97, 71.22, 69.99);

3. *Stamatia Scarvelis’ (Tn) 226-8 (69.10) PR (9, x NCAA) (216-8, 224-5, 222-4, 218-8, 226-8, 217-9) (66.04, 68.41, 67.78, 66.65, 69.10, 66.37);

4. ***Alyssa Wilson (UCLA) 219-9 (66.99) PR (WJL, AJL) (2, 2 AJ)

(202-7, 219-9, 215-7 [x, 5 AJ], 214-3 [x, 8 AJ], 213-8 [x, 9 AJ], 209-9) (61.76, 66.99, 65.71, 65.30, 65.13, 63.93);

5. **Maddy Nilles (NDSt) 218-1 (66.49) PR

(206-3, 207-9, 207-3, 211-1, 214-0, 218-1) (62.88, 63.32, 63.18, 64.35, 65.22, 66.49);

6. *Pavla Kuklová’ (VaT) 217-1 (66.18) PR

(205-1, 217-1, 211-9, 210-6, f, f) (62.51, 66.18, 64.54, 64.16, f, f);

7. **Helene Ingvaldsen’ (KsSt) 212-6 (64.77) PR

(205-4, 211-3, 212-6, 208-7, 209-10, f) (62.58, 64.38, 64.77, 63.58, 63.97, f);

8. Valarie Allman (Stan) 208-5 (63.52)

(204-8, 208-5, 206-7, f, 205-6, 202-10) (62.39, 63.52, 62.96, f, 62.64, 61.83);

9. *Temi Ogunrinde (Mn) 206-4 (62.90)

(202-3, 199-3, 206-4, f, 201-1, f) (61.65, 60.73, 62.90, f, 61.31, f);

10. **Emma Thor’ (VaT) 206-1 (62.83);

11. Ashley Bryant (Ok) 205-10 (62.75);

12. Leia Mistowski (WM) 203-3 (61.97);

13. Janee’ Kassanavoid (KsSt) 201-9 (61.51);

14. ***Jillian Shippee (NC) 200-5 (61.10);

15. *Nayoka Clunis’ (Mn) 200-2 (61.03);

16. *Kelcey Bedard (CoSt) 199-11 (60.94);

17. Gabrielle Figueroa (Kent) 199-11 (60.94);

18. ***Makenli Forrest (Louisv) 199-6 (60.81);

19. Ksenia Safonova’ (TowSt) 199-1 (60.69);

20. Dasiana Larson (Lib) 197-2 (60.10);

21. Emma O’Hara’ (Md) 195-8 (59.65);

22. Lara Boman (SD) 188-10 (57.57);

23. *Rachel Wilson (Penn) 187-4 (57.10);

24. **Kaylee Antill (AzSt) 183-0 (55.79).

(best-ever mark-for-NCAA-place: 2–7) □

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