DOMINANCE. Few other words so fittingly capture how Nebraska’s Axelina Johansson owned the shot on Thursday evening. The 26-year-old Swedish senior, winner of the World Indoor bronze 3 months ago, fired off 5 fair throws from the Hayward ring and any one of them would have won.
She opened with a 60-11¼ (18.57), saying, “The plan was to get a big mark within the first round, and I’m happy that I managed to execute that. I was a little bit more patient in the start and managed to catch the ball a little bit further back, working with the ball longer, and it makes a huge difference.”
Two throwers later, Florida’s Alida van Daalen came closest with a 58-11½ (17.97). In round 2, USC’s Ashley Erasmus threw 59-2 (18.03) to move into 2nd. Johansson improved to 62-3¼ (18.98).
Round 3 saw Johansson at her best, a 65-4¼ (19.92) that added nearly a foot to the meet record set by Ohio State’s Adelaide Aquilla (now Browley) in ’22. It was just 5cm off her Swedish Record from the Big 10. Van Daalen followed with a 59-5½ (18.12) to reclaim 2nd.
After the reset for the final three rounds, Johansson popped 61-2¼ (18.65) in round 4. The only improvements in round 5 came when frosh Jessica Oji of Penn tightened her hold on 4th with a 59-0 (17.98), then Erasmus hit 59-6¼ (18.14) to take back the runner-up spot. Johansson had her only red flag of the day.
No one improved in the final stanza, and Johansson celebrated with her second-best throw of the evening, a 63-4 (19.30).
The victory, 3 years after her ’23 win, came as a relief for the Swede, who had hamstring issues. She explained it didn’t prevent her “from thinking that I can win, but it’s almost a little bit nerve-wracking, because it’s early in the season and you don’t want to catch any big injuries right now.”
Of her last meet in a Husker uniform, she reflected, “It’s the best decision I’ve ever made, moving to Nebraska and to train with Coach St. Clair. It’s a great program, and I’m proud to be a part of the legacy.”
WOMEN’S SHOT RESULTS
(June 11)
1. Axelina Johansson’ (Nb-Swe) 65-4¼ (19.92) (x, 3 C)
(60-11¼, 62-3¼, 65-4¼, 61-2¼, f, 63-4) (18.57, 18.98, 19.92, 18.65, f, 19.30);
2. **Ashley Erasmus’ (USC-SA) 59-6¼ (18.14)
(57-10½, 59-2, f, f, 59-6¼, 59-3) (17.64, 18.03, f, f, 18.14, 18.06);
3. *Alida Van Daalen’ (Fl-Neth) 59-5½ (18.12)
(58-11½, 56-8¾, 59-5½, 57-4¾, f, 58-4) (17.97, 17.29, 18.12, 17.49, f, 17.78);
4. ***Jessica Oji’ (Penn-Ngr) 59-0 (17.98)
(56-7½, f, 58-9½, 56-10, 59-0, 57-6¼) (17.26, f, 17.92, 17.32, 17.98, 17.53);
5. Mine De Klerk’ (Nb-SA) 58-7¼ (17.86)
(55-9¼, 55-5, 58-7¼, f, f, f) (17.00, 16.89, 17.86, f, f, f);
6. *Nina Ndubuisi’ (Ga-Ger) 57-11¾ (17.67)
(57-9½, 56-5¼, f, 57-11¾, 56-11¼, 57-3) (17.61, 17.20, f, 17.67, 17.35, 17.45);
7. *Elizabeth Tapper (Mi) 57-6½ (17.54)
(57-6½, 53-10¼, 53-7¾, 55-9¼, 57-¾, f) (17.54, 16.41, 16.35, 17.00, 17.39, f);
8. Megan Hague (Aub) 57-5½ (17.51)
(56-2¾, 57-5½, 57-4¼, 53-11, f, 54-8) (17.14, 17.51, 17.48, 16.43, f, 16.66);
9. *Annie Nabwe’ (Mn-Mn) 57-1 (17.40); 10. Makayla Long (CoSt) 56-0 (17.07); 11. Kelsie Murrell-Ross’ (Ga-Grn) 55-10¼ (17.02); 12. **Donna Douglas (Nb) 55-7 (16.94); 13. **Abigail Russell (Mi) 54-6 (16.61); 14. *Sydney Brewster (MtSt) 54-6 (16.61); 15. Kaia Tupu-South’ (Louis-NZ) 54-0 (16.46); 16. ***Sasha Garnett (PennSt) 53-8½ (16.37); 17. ***Jolina Lange’ (Nb-Ger) 53-5½ (16.29); 18. **Marley Raikiwasa’ (Aub-Aus) 53-3½ (16.24); 19. Daisy Monie (UTSA) 53-3½ (16.24); 20. **Britannie Johnson’ (Pur-Jam) 52-6¾ (16.02); 21. Niya Crawford (Pitt) 52-4½ (15.96); 22. *Carlie Weiser (TxAM) 52-2 (15.90); 23. **Cleo Agyepong’ (Hous-GB) 51-7¾ (15.74); 24. ***Alicia Khunou’ (Or-SA) 51-7¼ (15.73).
