AFTER WHAT SHE termed a “small knee procedure” in late January, Anna Hall wasn’t the Anna Hall of 2023.
But her mindset had to be the same as in last year’s U.S. Championships: “Let’s qualify, be conservative, safe, get through, and then get back to work.”
Some 6 months post-surgery, she passed with flying colors, winning by 158 points at 6614.
Hall remained the only American with the Paris entry standard (6480), but the battle for the next two positions was predictably fierce, with Chari Hawkins (6456) and Taliyah Brooks (6408) PRing for those highly coveted places, and likely going to France, based on high WA rankings.
Here’s a look event by event.
100 Hurdles: Michelle Atherley, who entered with the year’s two best scores by an American, was the only competitor to go sub-13 with a near-PR 12.73. Hall was safe at 13.34, her fastest of the year. Hawkins, who clocked a PR 12.95 a couple of weeks prior, ran 13.11. Brooks — competing for the first time in almost 2 months — came off hurdle 8 off-balance but recovered for a 13.30.
Disappointing news came from defending Trials champ Annie Kunz, who has been battling a plantar fasciitis issue for the last few weeks. She fell multiple times in warmups and limped across the line in 14.33 and withdrew.
High Jump: Cool conditions (mid-60s) produced mild results. Hall was highest at 5-11½ (1.82), another seasonal best as she took the overall lead by 3 points over Hawkins. Hawkins and Brooks were among those at the next height (5-10½/1.79), both clearing season bests. Atherley was notably down at 5-5¾ (1.67) — she’d cleared higher in both of her hepts this year with a high of 5-10¾ (1.80).
Shot: PRs rolled in, led by Ball State’s Jenelle Rogers at 51-8½ (15.76), a Trials Record (Kunz did 51-7¼/15.73 in ’21). Hawkins took the overall lead after her PR 48-1¾ (14.67), 19 points ahead of Hall, who launched her third-longest ever at 47-1 (14.35). Brooks remained in 3rd with her PR 46-8¼ (14.23).
200 Meters: Atherley was fastest with a PR 23.30 ahead of Allie Jones’s PR 23.34. Hall regained the lead with 3884 points after running 23.90 — her third SB of the day — with Hawkins 10 points back at 3874. Brooks was 3rd with 3861 after an SB 23.74 had her projecting to 6457.
Long Jump: To open Day 2, NCAA champ Timara Chapman of Texas A&M was longest with a PR 20-9¾ (6.34). Brooks was next on fair jumps — she had a long opening foul — at 20-7¾ (6.29), good enough to take the lead by 9 points over Hall, who spanned another SB at 20-3¾ (6.19). Hawkins dropped to 3rd after a solid 19-7 (5.97).
Javelin: Ashtin Zamzow-Mahler led the way at 161-9 (49.30), just ahead of Hawkins — who set PRs on all three attempts with a best of 161-8 (49.28). That moved Hawkins to 2nd, 6 points behind Hall, who hit 149-6 (45.57), the second-longest of her career. Brooks dropped to 3rd despite a PR 135-4 (41.24). Atherley also PRed (142-6/43.45) and moved into 4th.
800 Meters: How fast would Hall run in her first 800 of the year? A Trials hept record 2:04.39 was the answer to secure victory. Atherley was next in a near-PR 2:06.68 but that would leave her 4th in the standings behind Hawkins and Brooks, who both ran PRs (2:14.76 and 2:13.39).
Hall told NBC’s Lewis Johnson after Day 1 she was happy as long as she saw SBs by her results — she got 5 in 7 events to go along with her U.S.-leading 6614 total.
WOMEN’S HEPTATHLON RESULTS
(June 23–24)
1. Anna Hall (adidas) 6614 (AL)
(13.34, 5-11½/1.82, 47-1/14.35, 23.90 [3884], 20-3¾/6.19, 149-6/45.57, 2:04.39 [2730]);
2. Chari Hawkins (Brk) 6456 PR
(13.11, 5-10½/1.79, 48-1¾/14.67, 24.21 [3874], 19-7/5.97, 161-8/49.28, 2:14.76 [2582]);
3. Taliyah Brooks (Asics) 6408 PR
(13.30, 5-10½/1.79, 46-8¼/14.23, 23.74 [3861], 20-7¾/6.29, 135-4/41.24, 2:13.39 [2547]);
4. Michelle Atherley (unat) 6391
(12.73, 5-5¾/1.67, 41-5¼/12.63, 23.30 [3735], 20-3¾/6.19w, 142-6/43.45, 2:06.68 [2656]);
5. Allie Jones (unat) 6199
(13.02, 5-8/1.73, 41-7¼/12.68, 23.34 [3763], 20-4½/6.21, 114-8/34.97, 2:11.03 [2436]);
6. Erica Bougard (NYAC) 6192 13.28, 5-9¼/1.76, 41-5¼/12.63, 24.05 [3690], 19-11½/6.08, 140-2/42.73, 2:13.89 [2502]);
7. Jadin O’Brien (NDm) 6108
(13.30, 5-5¾/1.67, 45-10¾/13.99, 24.33 [3640], 19-9½/6.03w, 136-6/41.62, 2:13.73 [2468]);
8. Timara Chapman (TxAM) 6073
(13.47, 5-7/1.70, 42-11½/13.09, 24.25 [3600], 20-9¾/6.34, 134-5/40.99, 2:19.44 [2473]);
9. Ashtin Zamzow-Mahler (TS) 6058
(13.55, 5-10½/1.79, 45-11¾/14.01, 25.76 [3622], 19-0/5.79, 161-9/49.30, 2:21.53 [2436]);
10. Jenelle Rogers (Ball) 5969
(14.19, 5-8/1.73, 51-8½/15.76, 23.84 [3751], 20-¼/6.10, 113-9/34.69, 2:23.83 [2218]);
11. Cheyenne Nesbitt (SagV) 5934; 12. Erin Marsh (unat) 5898;13. Lauren Taubert (unat) 5825; 14. Avery McMullen (Co) 5774; 15. Hope Bender (unat) 5614; 16. Shaina Burns (unat) 5488;… dnfs—Alex Gochenour-Brondyke (unat); Annie Kunz (FPCVE).
HEPTATHLON TOP 5 LEADERS BY EVENT
100H: 1. Atherley 1165; 2. Jones 1121; 3. Hawkins 1108; 4. Bougard 1083; 5. Brooks 1080;… 7. Hall 1074
HJ: 1. Hall 2077; 2. Hawkins 2074; 3. Brooks 2046; 4. Nesbitt 2032; 5. Jones 2012;… 8. Atherley 1983
SP: 1. Hawkins 2913; 2. Hall 2894; 3. Brooks 2855; 4. Zamzow-Mahler 2804; 5. Nesbitt 2766;… 7. Jones 2718;… 11. Atherley 2686
200: 1. Hall 3884; 2. Hawkins 3874; 3. Brooks 3861; 4. Jones 3763; 5. Rogers 3751;… 7. Atherley 3735
LJ: 1. Brooks 4801; 2. Hall 4792; 3. Hawkins 4714; 4. Jones 4678; 5. Atherley 4643; 6. Rogers 4631
JT: 1. Hall 5566; 2. Hawkins 5560; 3. Brooks 5492; 4. Atherley 5377; 5. Bougard 5284…7. Jones 5249
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