She didn’t get the NCAA SP/DT/HT triple that she wanted, but versatile throwing machine Maggie Ewen nonetheless added another interesting combo to her honors list, winning an NCAA/USATF shot double. She was one of 3 women to do it this year, joining Alia Hobbs in the 100 and Keturah Orji in the TJ.
The USATF win, which made her only the second ever to score the pairing, didn’t come easily, as Ewen produced the second-longest put of her career, 63-3½ (19.29) but needed most of that to end up on top of the podium as a new version of Jessica Ramsey was unveiled. Ramsey, a 27-year-old Western Kentucky alum, hadn’t even thrown the shot at the USATF Outdoor since ’15 and had produced only a single 60-foot put in her whole career (60-5¼/18.42). Her seasonal best coming in was just 59-5¾ (18.13).
The first round was a revelation, even though the day before she had shown improved hammer skills, taking 5th with a PR 231-0 (70.41). Throwing in a striking magenta top as the No. 6 thrower in the second flight, the Florida native spun all the way from No. 29 on the all-time U.S. list to No. 12, reaching 63-1¼ (19.23). She wouldn’t reach 60 again, but she nonetheless came close to winning as a foul-prone Raven Saunders opened at 61-5¾ (18.74) and never improved. That mark would earn her 3rd.
As for Ewen, her first-round 58-10¼ (17.94), left her only 4th, behind Ramsey, defending champ Saunders and Monique Riddick (59-8½/18.20). Ewen quickly jumped into the runner-up spot with her second-round 62-7¾ (19.09), but heading into round 5 she was still stuck there. But not for long as she got her biggie, and when Ramsey couldn’t respond the title was hers.
“It feels great,” she said. “We’ve been wanting to compete against these women all year and this was such an amazing field, so I’m just so happy that I did what I did today. When you know you have that level of competition, it either brings out the best in you or the worst in you, and I think today brought out the best of what I had.”
USATF WOMEN’S SHOT RESULTS
(June 24)
1. Maggie Ewen (Nik) 63-3½ (19.29)
(58-10¼, 62-7¾, f, 60-11½, 63-3½, 61-5¾) (17.94, 19.09, f, 18.58, 19.29, 18.74);
2. Jessica Ramsey (unat) 63-1¼ (19.23) PR (12, x A)
(63-1¼, 57-11, 57-5½, f, 59-10¼, f) (19.23, 17.65, 17.51, f, 18.24, f);
3. Raven Saunders (Nik) 61-5¾ (18.74)
(61-5¾, f, f, f, 59-5¾, f) (18.74, f, f, f, 18.13, f);
4. Monique Riddick (unat) 59-8½ (18.20)
(58-11¼, 59-8½, 58-10¾, 58-¼, 57-7, 58-10¼) (17.96, 18.20, 17.95, 17.68, 17.55, 17.94);
5. Janeah Stewart (Ms) 59-2 (18.03) PR
(55-9¼, 58-¼, 58-6¾, 56-1¼, 58-5¾, 59-2) (17.00, 17.68, 17.85, 17.10, 17.82, 18.03);
6. Michelle Carter (Nik) 59-1¼ (18.01)
(56-7½, 57-5½, 58-7½, 56-7½, 57-11, 59-1¼)
(17.26, 17.51, 17.87, 17.26, 17.65, 18.01);
7. Jeneva Stevens (NYAC) 58-6¾ (17.85);
8. Rachel Fatherly (Vel) 58-3¾ (17.77);
9. Jessica Woodard (Ok) 58-1 (17.70);
10. Erin Farmer (unat) 56-7¼ (17.25);
11. Dani Hill (Nik) 56-1¼ (17.10);
12. Tia Brooks-Wannemacher (Nik) 56-0 (17.07);
13. Lena Giger (Stan) 55-9 (16.99);
14. McKenzie Warren (Iron) 51-4¼ (15.65);
15. Laulauga Tausaga-Collins (Ia) 51-¼ (15.55);
16. Aliyah Gustafson (BG) 50-8 (15.44);
17. Breana Jemison (USC) 48-¾ (14.65);
… 3f—Chase Ealey (unat). □
