PRAIRIE VIEW, TEXAS, June 06 — The women’s discus Olympic champ and the world titlist may have duked it out to a tight finish in Hengelo earlier in the day, but AR holder Valarie Allman made her own powerful statement at the USATF Showcase meet.
Allman’s 216-2 (65.88) third cast at the final stop on USATF’s Journey To Gold series would have slotted her 2nd, an inch (3cm) behind Yaimé Pérez and ahead of Sandra Perković, had the American been throwing at the FBK Games. Her fourth- and sixth-round marks would have delivered a win — as she spun the platter out to 220-0 (67.07) and then 222-3 (67.74) for the second-longest comp of her career and her best-ever series. She also became the first American with a pair of 220s in one series (see chart).
Allman’s final-rounder, the second-longest by an American since ’14, equaled the No. 3 all-time U.S. distance (the fourth-rounder rated as No. 9 at the time). She launched it with a hitchless windup and spun down with two rotations to watch it land. She instantly recognized the throw’s caliber, clapping as she walked from the back of the ring and driving her left knee skyward in an impromptu dance to celebrate.
Coach Zeb Sion’s opinion was registered in an Instagram post showing 5 boxes checked; the last of these “✅ Making the most of EVERY competition.” Sion added to his list, “Excited to keep building on this.” (Continued below)
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Competition in the women’s hammer, while not of quite the same quality, featured fifth-round fireworks. After Kiwi Lauren Bruce whirled the ball out to 238-2 (72.59) in the frame, Gwen Berry responded with 238-10 (72.80) to keep her unbeaten streak in ’21 alive.
USATF SHOWCASE MEN’S RESULTS
(Journey To Gold)
100(1.0): 1. Cordero Gray (US) 10.30.
200(1.8): 1. Elijah Morrow (US) 20.61.
400: 1. Wil London (US) 45.45; 2. Kahmari Montgomery (US) 45.83; 3. Javon Francis (Jam) 46.05.
800: 1. Abraham Alvarado (US) 1:46.11; 2. Olandis Johnson (US) 1:47.54; 3. Drew Piazza (US) 1:47.64; 4. Luca Chatham (US) 1:48.23.
110H(1.2): 1. Ryan Fontenot (US) 13.65; 2. Tre’Bien Gilbert (US) 13.71; 3. Dashaun Jackson (US) 13.85.
400H: 1. Emmanuel Nino Villalta (CR) 50.26; 2. Gerald Drummond Hernande (CR) 50.53; 3. Aldrich Bailey (US) 50.62.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Shelby McEwen (US) 7-5 (2.26); 2. Trey Culver (US) 7-3 (2.21).
LJ: 1. Ryan Brown (Jam) 26-4½ (8.04); 2. Damar Forbes (Jam) 26-1¾ (7.97); 2. Jarvis Gotch (US) 26-1¾ (7.97); 4. Tyrone Smith (Ber) 25-7¼ (7.80).
SP: 1. Chuk Enekwechi (Ngr) 70-7¾ (21.53); 2. Curtis Jensen (US) 62-10 (19.15).
DT: 1. Joseph Brown (US) 197-5 (60.18); 2. Sam Welsh (US) 196-0 (59.74); 3. Marcus Gustaveson (US) 194-8 (59.34); 4. Luke Vaughn (US) 191-10 (58.47); 5. Colin Quirke (Ire) 191-2 (58.26); 6. Darian Brown (US) 187-4 (57.10).
JT: 1. Marc Anthony Minichello (US) 260-0 (79.24); 2. Curtis Thompson (US) 258-7 (78.82); 3. Michael Shuey (US) 253-5 (77.24); 4. Capers Williamson (US) 253-0 (77.11); 5. Denham Patricelli (US) 251-1 (76.55); 6. Sam Hardin (US) 246-8 (75.18); 7. Riley Dolezal (US) 245-10 (74.95); 8. John Ampomah (Gha) 242-1 (73.80); 9. Ethan Shalaway (US) 231-1 (70.44); 10. Brett Thompson (US) 225-1 (68.60).
SHOWCASE WOMEN’S RESULTS
100(1.4): 1. Ashley Henderson (US) 11.45.
200(1.3): 1. Natasha Hastings (US) 23.09; 2. Henderson 23.21.
400: 1. Hastings 51.45; 2. Phyllis Francis (US) 52.01; 3. Kendall Baisden (US) 52.71.
800: 1. Allie Wilson (US) 1:59.92; 2. Kendra Chambers (US) 2:01.01; 3. Olivia Baker (US) 2:03.00.
100H(1.7): 1. Evonne Britton (US) 12.80; 2. Chanel Brissett (US) 12.91.
400H: I–1. Brooke Jaworski (US) 57.76; 2. Kaitlin Walker (US) 58.13; 3. Robyn Brown (Phi) 58.55.
II–1. Deonca Bookman (US) 57.02; 2. Melissa Gonzalez (Col) 57.61.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Inika McPherson (US) 6-2¾ (1.90) (jumpoff); 2. Michelle Spires (US) 5-11½ (1.82); 3. Priscilla Frederick-Loom (Ant) 5-11½.
DT: 1. Valarie Allman (US) 222-3 (67.74) (AL) (x, 3 A) (201-2, f, 216-2, 220-0 AL [x, 9 A], f, 222-3) (61.33, f, 65.88, 67.07, f, 67.74);
2. Shadae Lawrence (Jam) 205-0 (62.48); 3. Rachel Dincoff (US) 196-1 (59.78); 4. Chioma Onyekwere (Ngr) 189-10 (57.86); 5. Micaela Hazelwood (US) 178-1 (54.29).
HT: 1. Gwen Berry (US) 238-10 (72.80) (234-3, f, 231-1, 234-4, 238-10, f) (71.40, f, 70.43, 71.42, 72.80, f); 2. Lauren Bruce (NZ) 238-2 (72.59); 3. Jillian Weir (Can) 225-5 (68.72); 4. Lara Boman (US) 215-8 (65.74); 5. Michaela Dendinger (US) 212-1 (64.64); 6. Racheal Somoye (GB) 210-0 (64.01); 7. Meghan Serdock (US) 209-1 (63.74).
JT: 1. Liz Gleadle (Can) 207-3 (63.17); 2. Avione Allgood-Whetstone (US) 192-10 (58.78); 3. Ariana Ince (US) 178-2 (54.30); 4. Katie Reichert (US) 162-3 (49.46). ◻︎