CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA, May 29 — Field eventers frequently get short shrift when it comes to major meets, but when USATF’s Journey To Gold series staged a throws extravaganza in Tucson, athletes responded in a big way. A week later they responded in a big way again at the Chula Vista Field Festival.
And nobody responded in a bigger way than javelin vet Maggie Malone, who ended Kara Winger’s almost-11-year reign as the holder of the American Record. The Rio Olympian opened with a foul before hitting 208-1 (63.42) on her second attempt, farther than any other American has reached this year and close to her list-leading 209-4 (63.81).
Round 3 produced the biggie, a 219-3 (66.82) cast that replaced Winger’s 218-8 (66.67) from the ’10 USATF as the AR. She concluded her day with a trio of fouls. There are 27 women ahead of her on the all-time world list, but of more relevance perhaps, at this point only 2 in ’21.
Malone wasn’t the only woman performing at an all-time high. So was Vashti Cunningham, who eschewed the slice-the-bologna-thin improvement of a single centimeter, instead added 2cm to her PR in the high jump, scaling 6-7½ (2.02) on her first attempt. Only 3 other Americans have ever jumped higher (see chart). She had previously cleared 6-6¾ (2.00) thrice.
The women’s long jump had plenty of depth, the first three topping the 23-foot barrier, topped by Ese Brume’s world-leading 23-6¼ (7.17). That eclipsed the 25-year-old Nigerian Record held by Chioma Ajunwa. Also topping 23 were. Brittney Reese (US) 23-3½w (7.10) and Chantel Malone 23-2½ (7.07). The last woman to jump as far or farther than Malone and place 3rd was Ivana Spanovic (23-2¾/7.08) at the Rio Olympics. Before that, look back 29 years to Jackie Joyner-Kersee spanning 23-2½ for bronze at the Games of ’92 in Barcelona.
The best of the men’s events was the hammer, where Rudy Winkler reached 258-5 (78.78) in the first round and held off the fourth-round PR 256-11 (78.30) by Alex Young. Young’s mark gave the U.S. 5 men with an Oly Q-standard.
USATF FIELD FESTIVAL MEN’S RESULTS
(Journey To Gold; Continental Tour Bronze)
HJ: 1. Sang-Hyeok Woo (SK) 7-5 (2.26); 2. Erik Kynard (US) 7-2½ (2.20); 3. Tyler Arroyo (US) 7-2½; 4. Randall Cunningham (US) 6-10¾ (2.10).
LJ: 1. Jeff Henderson (US) 27-6½ (8.39) (27-6½, 27-½, p, p, p, p) (8.39, 8.24, p, p, p);
2. Marquis Dendy (US) 27-2½ (8.29) (27-2½, f, 27-2½w, 26-2¼, p, f) (8.29, f, 8.29w, 7.98, p, f); 3. Corey Crawford (US) 27-2½ (8.29) PR (26-11¼w, 27-2½, f) (8.21w, 8.29, f); 4. Treyton Harris (US) 26-9¼w (8.16) (25-11/7.90); 5. Tyrone Smith (Ber) 26-4¼ (8.03); 6. Damarcus Simpson (US) 26-3½w (8.01).
TJ: 1. Donald Scott (US) 56-6w (17.22) (a-c AL) (54-7¼, 54-2, 55-1, 56-6w, 55-¾, 55-6½) (16.64, 16.51, 16.79, 17.22w, 16.78, 16.93);
2. Chris Carter (US) 55-2¾ (16.83); 3. Clive Pullen (Jam) 54-4¾ (16.58); 4. Alberto Alvarez (Mex) 52-6½ (16.01); 5. Ryan Sanders (US) 50-3¼ (15.32); 6. Klyvens Delaunay (US) 50-3¼.
HT: 1. Rudy Winkler (US) 258-5 (78.78) (258-5, f, f, f, 251-5, f) (78.78, f, f, f, 76.63, f); 2. Alex Young (US) 256-11 (78.30) PR (242-8, 248-4, 253-8, 256-11, 254-5, 242-4) (73.98, 75.71, 77.33, 78.30, 77.56, 73.87); 3. Sean Donnelly (US) 252-7 (76.98); 4. Conor McCullough (US) 247-5 (75.41); 5. Michael Shanahan (US) 237-4 (72.34); 6. Erich Sullins (US) 229-7 (69.98); 7. Justin Stafford (US) 221-11 (67.65).
JT: 1. Michael Shuey (US) 263-6 (80.32) (239-4, 233-10, 237-6, 239-2, f, 263-6) (72.96, 71.27, 72.41, 72.91, f, 80.32); 2. Riley Dolezal (US) 253-3 (77.20); 3. Curtis Thompson (US) 249-1 (75.93); 4. Sam Hardin (US) 242-10 (74.03); 5. Brent Lagace (US) 232-6 (70.86);
6. Denham Patricelli (US) 229-1 (69.82); 7. Ethan Shalaway (US) 228-9 (69.72); 8. Justin Carter (US) 222-10 (67.92).
FIELD FESTIVAL WOMEN’S RESULTS
HJ: 1. Vashti Cunningham (US) 6-7½ (2.02) PR (AL, out WL) (4, =10 A) (5-7, 6-¾, 6-2¾, 6-4 [2], 6-7½) (1.70, 1.85, 1.90, 1.93 [2], 2.02);
2. Jelena Rowe (US) 6-4 (1.93) ; 3. tie, Shelley Spires (US) & Nicole Greene (US) 6-¾ (1.85); 5. tie, Inika McPherson (US) & Rachel McCoy (US) 6-¾; 7. Ty Butts-Townsend (US) 6-¾; 8. Claire Kieffer-Wright (US) 5-10¾ (1.80).
LJ: 1. Ese Brume (Ngr) 23-6¼ (7.17) NR (WL) (22-1¾, 22-5, 22-5w, 22-7, 22-5, 23-6¼) (6.75, 6.83, 6.83w, 6.88, 6.83, 7.17);
2. Brittney Reese (US) 23-3½w (7.10) (22-6¼w, f, 22-4¼w, 22-5, 22-1, 23-3½w) (6.86w, f, 6.81w, 6.83, 6.73, 7.10w); 3. Chantel Malone (BVI) 23-2½ (7.07); 4. Sha’Keela Saunders (US) 22-7¾w (6.90) (21-6¾/6.57); 5. Malaina Payton (US) 22-7¼ (6.89) PR; 6. Akela Jones (Bar) 22-3¾ (6.80) NR; 7. Jasmine Todd (US) 21-10¼w (6.66); 8. Quanesha Burks (US) 21-7½ (6.59); 9. Madisen Richards (US) 21-4¾ (6.52);
10. Christabel Nettey (Can) 21-3¼ (6.48); 11. Jazmin Sawyers (GB) 21-3¼ (6.48); 12. Sabina Allen (Jam) 21-1¼ (6.43); 13. Sydney Conley (US) 21-1¼w (6.43) (20-5¾/6.24);
14. Shara Proctor (GB) 20-10½w (6.36) (20-7/6.27).
TJ: 1. Allen 46-7¼ (14.20) PR; 2. Imani Oliver (US) 45-3¾ (13.81); 3. Tori Franklin (US) 45-3 (13.79); 4. Lynnika Pitts (US) 44-3¼ (13.49); 5. Tanasia Lea (PR) 43-10 (13.36); 6. Yanis David (Fra) 43-3 (13.18); 7. Sammy Evans (US) 42-6¼ (12.96); 8. Kiana Davis (US) 41-7¼ (12.68).
DT: 1. Chioma Onyekwere (Ngr) 202-7 (61.75); 2. Micaela Hazlewood (US) 198-7 (60.52) PR; 3. Rachel Dincoff (US) 193-9 (59.06); 4. Alex Collatz (US) 190-9 (58.14); 5. Kelsey Card (US) 185-8 (56.59);… 6f—Jeré Summers (US).
JT: 1. Maggie Malone (US) 219-3 (66.82) AR (old AR 218-8/66.67 Kara Winger [Asics] ’10) (f, 208-1, 219-3, f, f, f) (f, 63.42, 66.82, f, f, f);
2. Liz Gleadle (Can) 207-9 (63.33); 3. Ariana Ince (US) 197-8 (60.26); 4. Avione Allgood (US) 192-8 (58.74); 5. Katie Reichert (US) 162-3 (49.45).