IF ANYONE DOUBTED Valarie Allman after her opening foul in the qualifying round, they didn’t have to worry long. The next time the American Record holder stepped into the circle she unleased a massive 229-8 (70.01) that shattered the OT record of 216-2 (65.90) set by Seilala Sua in ’00 and missed her AR by a mere 6 inches (14cm).
The Q featured a major casualty as No. 2-formcharted Lagi Tausaga fouled three times and was out.
For the next day’s final, Allman, 26, came ready to throw fire. Her first toss arced over the field and brought forth “oohs” of appreciation before it even landed. When it did, the crowd knew it was big. Allman too, as her celebratory dance of joy nearly saw her foul out the front of the ring. She caught herself just in time, carefully easing her way out the back.
The measure came up, a 227-10 (69.45), the No. 3 throw ever by an American. That ended the competition for first. But Allman wasn’t done. Her second heave went farther, 229-5 (69.92), a new No. 3 on the ATL. In round 3, she didn’t hit the angle right and it landed at 217-8 (66.36). That still would have been enough to win the competition by more than 12ft.
With the order shuffled for the finals, Allman hit a fourth-round toss that measured at 225-2 (68.65). Unfortunately, officials clearly measured the mark from a spot a couple of feet farther than where it actually landed, nullifying it for T&FN’s list purposes.
She followed with 224-7 (68.46), the No. 6 U.S. throw ever. She can be forgiven for intentionally fouling her last throw, a subpar effort that landed shy of 65m (c215ft).
“I’ve been so close to really executing and making something magic happen,” said the Stanford alum. “When the crowd was clapping and the intensity was building, I was just trying to soak it in. To be able to go for it and have nothing to lose is one of the most powerful feelings.” (Continued below)
For Allman, who finished a painful 4th in the ’16 Trials, the stunning series was redemption. “[2016] was really bittersweet, but it was also in that moment that I really realized that I wanted to try again, to be an Olympian and represent the United States. I feel like I’m on cloud 9.”
Behind her, Micaela Hazlewood had launched a PR 205-2 (62.54) in round 2 to put herself in 2nd. Kelsey Card held 3rd for a while with her 194-9 (59.37), but Rachel Dincoff produced a fifth-round 197-6 (60.21) to snag that position. Whitney Ashley placed 5th at 193-11 (59.10).
Dincoff’s possession of an Oly Q-standard (208-4/63.50) gives her a Tokyo spot, but Ashley’s does not because she trails Card in the WA rankings, the final pre-Tokyo version of which won’t come out until July 01. Hazlewood also lacks a Q and trails the others in the rankings.
WOMEN’S DISCUS RESULTS
(June 19)
1. Valarie Allman (Asics/NYAC) 229-5 (69.92) (x, 3 A)
(227-10 [x, 3 A], 229-5, 217-8, “225-2,” 224-7 [x, 6 A], f) (69.45, 69.92, 66.36, “68.65,” 68.46, f);
2. Micaela Hazlewood (unat) 205-2 (62.54) PR
(189-11, 205-2, f, 188-9, f, 195-11) (57.90, 62.54, f, 57.53, f, 59.72);
3. Rachel Dincoff (TracksmIron) 197-6 (60.21)
(f, 189-5, f, 194-8, 197-6, f) (f, 57.74, f, 59.35, 60.21, f);
4. Kelsey Card (unat) 194-9 (59.37)
(194-9, f, 185-10, f, 189-6, 194-8) (59.37, f, 56.64, f, 57.77, 59.33);
5. Whitney Ashley (unat) 193-11 (59.10)
(185-2, 193-11, 192-9, 190-11, f, 192-1) (56.44, 59.10, 58.76, 58.21, f, 58.55);
6. Gia Lewis-Smallwood (NYAC) 191-10 (58.49)
(191-10, f, 191-9, 190-7, f, f) (58.49, f, 58.45, 58.11, f, f);
7. Alex Collatz Sellens (unat) 190-0 (57.91)
(189-1, 190-0, 177-7, f, f, f) (57.63, 57.91, 54.14, f, f, f);
8. Alyssa Wilson (UCLA) 189-1 (57.63)
(189-1, f, 176-6, 181-11, 180-11, f) (57.63, f, 53.81, 55.44, 55.15, f);
9. Seasons Usual (TxT) 187-10 (57.25)
(187-7, 187-10, 180-4) (57.19, 57.25, 54.98);
10. Veronica Fraley (Clem) 182-6 (55.64)
(174-0, 182-6, f) (53.04, 55.64, f);
11. Desirea Buerge (UTRGV) 181-11 (55.44)
(181-11, f, f) (55.44, f, f);
… 3f—Gabi Jacobs (unat).
QUALIFYING (June 18)
Qualifiers: Allman 229-8 (70.01) (AL) (x, 2 A) (best-ever qualifying mark; old 228-7 | 69.67 Sandra Perković [Cro] ’17);
Dincoff 202-2 (61.63); Lewis-Smallwood 199-11 (60.94), Hazlewood 195-11 (59.72), Jacobs 195-4 (59.55), Wilson 192-11 (58.80), Ashley 190-5 (58.05), Card 189-8 (57.82), Collatz Sellens 189-3 (57.69), Fraley 186-1 (56.73) PR, Usual 184-1 (56.12), Buerge 183-9 (56.02);
Non-Qualifiers: Deborah Ajagbe (Mia) 181-10 (55.43), Elena Bruckner (Tx) 180-10 (55.12), Zakiya Rashid (Mia) 180-9 (55.10), Essence Henderson (VaT) 180-1 (54.88), Summer Pierson (SCThr) 178-9 (54.48), Adelaide Aquilla (OhSt) 178-2 (54.32), Josie Schaefer (Wi) 178-0 (54.26), Jeré Summers-Hall (unat) 176-9 (53.87), Kiana Phelps (Or) 175-6 (53.50), Ashley Petr (KsSt) 174-6 (53.19), Sydney Laufenberg (IlSt) 172-0 (52.42);… 3f—Lagi Tausaga (Ia).
