BERLIN, GERMANY, September 12 — Sometimes, taking the pressure off is all that is needed. After winning the DL Final with her powerful 227-0 (69.20), Valarie Allman set out for the ISTAF Continental Tour meet in the German capital in a great frame of mind.
“The performance in Zürich gave me a lot of confidence and helped me recognize that I was in great shape,” said Allman. “Heading into Berlin, I was so excited to compete in a competition that wasn’t incredibly high stress.”
She showed that excitement on her first throw, a stunning heave that arced to the far end of the field, landing at 233-5 (71.16), a new American Record that added more than a meter to the 230-2 (70.15) standard that she threw in her only competition of ’20 (see chart). (Continued below)
“The throw felt efficient, relaxed and purposeful,” said Allman of her yearly world leader. “I thought maybe it was around 69m but I couldn’t really tell from my vantage point. When 71.16 popped up on the board, it genuinely took my breath away.”
She passed her next attempt, then reeled off 213-9 (65.15), a foul, 219-1 (66.78), and closed with the No. 9 throw in U.S. history, 225-9 (68.80). She now has 9 of the top 10 U.S. throws ever, and 14 of the top 15.
Any of her efforts would have been enough to handily defeat the field that included four women who made the final three rounds in Tokyo. Olympic silver medalist Kristen Pudenz of Germany placed 2nd at 211-8 (64.52).
Allman admitted that she struggled with motivation post-Tokyo. “Getting back on the competition saddle was tricky and humbling as my first two competitions in Europe were my lowest performances of the year.”
However, working with coach Zebulon Sion, she was able to turn it around and finish on a high note. “Normally I cling to my routine and get rattled when I can’t do the mundane but important things that give me confidence,” she said. “However, breaking my AR after two weeks of living out of suitcases and traveling every several days with inconsistent nutrition, sleep, recovery and training gives me a ton of confidence going forward.”
Said Sion, “Her struggles after Tokyo were real. We worked really hard to get back to a mental approach that would allow her to perform at a high level. Physically, she was still in an amazing place. When I got to Europe, we quickly got back on track technically and started to make headway in terms of how she was thinking. Losing those first two competitions after the Olympics [Paris & Brussels] definitely motivated her as well.”
In contrast to the high-pressure DL Final, Sion says, “The vibe we had going into Berlin was so positive and relaxed that I knew something incredible was possible. Valarie warmed up very well. When she hit the first throw, I immediately knew it was deep and started to yell. She executed our technique so well. She was efficient, stacked and accelerated the discus perfectly.”
Allman may have stolen the show, but the rest of the meet produced some great competition. Sam Kendricks and Chris Nilsen both cleared 19-4¾ (5.91), Kendricks taking the win.
Devon Allen won the highs in 13.10, just edging Jamaica’s Ronald Levy (13.11) at the line. And Kate Grace concluded her successful European tour with another PR, this time winning the 1500 by more than 3 seconds with her 4:01.33.
BERLIN MEN’S RESULTS
(Continental Tour Silver)
100(0.0): 1. Marvin Bracy (US) 9.95; 2. Jeremiah Azu (GB) 10.16 PR; 3. Julian Wagner (Ger) 10.18; 4. Nigel Ellis (Jam) 10.23; 5. Arthur Gue Cissé (CI) 10.30;… dq—Julian Forte (Jam), Aaron Brown (Can).
110H(-0.1): 1. Devon Allen (US) 13.10; 2. Ronald Levy (Jam) 13.11; 3. Rafael Henrique Pereira (Bra) 13.35 =PR; 4. Damion Thomas (Jam) 13.44; 5. David King (GB) 13.47; 6. Petr Svoboda (CzR) 13.48; 7. Paolo Dal Molin (Ita) 13.49; 8. Vladimir Vukicevic (Nor) 13.70; 9. Vitali Parakhonka (Blr) 13.75.
400H: 1. Karsten Warholm (Nor) 48.08; 2. Rasmus Mägi (Est) 48.73; 3. Jaheel Hyde (Jam) 48.95; 4. Constantin Preis (Ger) 49.48; 5. Luke Campbell (Ger) 49.57; 6. Emil Nana Kwame Agyekum (Ger) 49.68; 7. Aldrich Bailey (US) 49.83; 8. Joshua Abuaku (Ger) 50.06.
Field Events
PV: 1. Sam Kendricks (US) 19-4¾ (5.91) (17-9, 18-2¾, 18-8¾, 19-¾ [2], 19-4¾ [2], 19-8½ [xxx]) (5.41, 5.56, 5.71, 5.81 [2], 5.91 [2], 6.01 [xxx]); 2. Chris Nilsen (US) 19-4¾ (17-9 [2], 18-2¾, 18-8¾, 19-¾ [2], 19-4¾ [2], 19-8½ [xxx]) (5.41 [2], 5.56, 5.71, 5.81 [2], 5.91 [2], 6.01 [xxx]); 3. KC Lightfoot (US) 19-¾ (5.81); 4. Ernest John Obiena (Phi) 19-¾; 5. Bo Kanda Lita Baehre (Ger) 18-8¾ (5.71); 6. tie, Valentin Lavillenie (Fra), Piotr Lisek (Pol) & Rutger Koppelaar (Neth) 18-8¾; 9. Mathieu Collet (Fra) 18-2¾ (5.56); 10. Kurtis Marschall (Aus) 17-9 (5.41); 11. Matt Ludwig (US) 17-9.
JT: 1. Johannes Vetter (Ger) 291-2 (88.76) (277-8, 291-2, 282-8, f, f, f) (84.64, 88.76, 86.16, f, f, f); 2. Andrian Mardare (Mol) 277-0 (84.44); 3. Aliaksei Katkavets (Blr) 272-8 (83.10); 4. Julian Weber (Ger) 266-10 (81.35); 5. Anderson Peters (Grn) 264-1 (80.51); 6. Topias Laine (Fin) 253-2 (77.16); 7. Bernhard Seifert (Ger) 250-1 (76.22).
BERLIN WOMEN’S RESULTS
100(0.5): 1. Daryll Neita (GB) 11.04; 2. Natasha Morrison (Jam) 11.09; 3. Briana Williams (Jam) 11.16; 4. Alexandra Burghardt (Ger) 11.17; 5. Michelle-Lee Ahye (Tri) 11.19; 6. Nadine Visser (Neth) 11.32.
400: 1. Corinna Schwab (Ger) 51.51 PR; 2. Amalie Hammild Iuel (Nor) 52.15; 3. Nnenya Hailey (US) 52.49; 4. Agnė Šerkšnienė (Lit) 52.63.
1500: 1. Kate Grace (US) 4:01.33 PR; 2. Esther Guerrero (Spa) 4:04.45; 3. Axumawit Embaye (Eth) 4:04.59; 4. Katharina Trost (Ger) 4:05.17 PR; 5. Konstanze Klosterhalfen (Ger) 4:05.26; 6. Diana Mezuliáníková (CzR) 4:05.57; 7. Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal (Nor) 4:05.70; 8. Edina Jebitok (Ken) 4:06.13; 9. Sara Kuivisto (Fin) 4:06.83; 10. Alexandra Bell (GB) 4:07.06 PR.
St: 1. Gesa-Felicitas Krause (Ger) 9:26.00; 2. Fancy Cherono (Ken) 9:28.81; 3. Elena Burkard (Ger) 9:28.98; 4. Lea Meyer (Ger) 9:29.57; 5. Purity Kirui (Ken) 9:35.03; 6. Anna Tropina (Rus) 9:36.30; 7. Chiara Scherrer (Swi) 9:36.56 PR; 8. Kinga Królik (Pol) 9:43.14.
100H(-0.2): 1. Visser 12.73; 2. Payton Chadwick (US) 12.75; 3. Christina Clemons (US) 12.86; 4. Taliyah Brooks (US) 13.14; 5. Liz Clay (Aus) 13.22.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Mariya Lasitskene (Rus) 6-6 (1.98) (5-7, 5-10¾, 6-¾, 6-2¼, 6-3½, 6-4¾, 6-6, 6-7½ [xxx]) (1.70, 1.80, 1.85, 1.89, 1.92, 1.95, 1.98, 2.02 [xxx]); 2. Nicola McDermott (Aus) 6-4¾ (1.95); 3. Yuliya Levchenko (Ukr) 6-2¼ (1.89); 4. Mirela Demireva (Bul) 6-2¼; 5. Iryna Herashchenko (Ukr) 6-2¼; 6. Marie-Laurence Jungfleisch (Ger) 6-¾ (1.85); 7. Elena Vallortigara (Ita) 5-10¾ (1.80);… nh—Ella Junnila (Fin), Karyna Demidik (Blr).
LJ: 1. Jazmin Sawyers (GB) 22-1 (6.73); 2. Malaika Mihambo (Ger) 21-11¾ (6.70); 3. Khaddi Sagnia (Swe) 21-8 (6.60); 4. Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (Ukr) 21-1½ (6.44); 5. Petra Beáta Farkas (Hun) 21-½ (6.41); 6. Alina Rotaru-Kottmann (Rom) 21-0 (6.40).
DT: 1. Valarie Allman (US) 233-5 (71.16) AR (old AR 230-2/70.15 Allman [Oiselle/NYAC] ‘20) (18, x W) (233-5, p, 213-9, f, 219-1, 225-9 [x, 9 A]) (71.16, p, 65.15, f, 66.78, 68.80);
2. Kristin Pudenz (Ger) 211-8 (64.52); 3. Liliana Cá (Por) 204-10 (62.45); 4. Marike Steinacker (Ger) 201-1 (61.29); 5. Shadae Lawrence (Jam) 198-5 (60.49); 6. Julia Harting (Ger) 193-0 (58.84); 7. Violetta Ignatyeva (Rus) 191-4 (58.32); 8. Marija Tolj (Cro) 186-0 (56.70).
