WE ARE NOW unquestionably living in the Valarie Allman era. The American filled the only unchecked box on her résumé by winning the world championship that eluded her in ’22 and ’23.
The 2-time Olympic gold medalist got a solid start as the very first thrower of the competition, tossing 221-10 (67.63). But she was immediately under pressure. On the next throw, the Netherlands’ Jorinde van Klinken went 221-5 (67.50). and in the third round, Cuba’s Silinda Moráles reached a PR 220-7 (67.25).
Allman had to be nervous. At Budapest in ’23, she held the lead for four rounds, only to have teammate Lagi Tausaga snatch the gold away from her in the fifth. She also was held to bronze in Eugene the year before. She knew her leading throw was good, but maybe not great. She confirmed her fears afterward.
“I think in the past, it haunted me how the competitions have played out. So I just kept trying to stay in my groove and do my drills and be ready to respond if necessary,” Allman said. “I didn’t think 67 [meters] would hold up and I knew that when there’s that energy bolt that a crowd can give, magic can happen.”
It actually would have held, but in the fifth round, Allman got the insurance throw she needed at 227-11 (69.48). She still had to wait through the sixth round, but no one threatened her. Once the competition was over, she ecstatically ran out into the field and did a “snow angel” in the grass.
“I think I didn’t realize the weight that I’ve been carrying of missing this title,” said the relieved world champ, “It was a long 2-year spell to have a shot to be in a chance to fight for it. So I was really hoping that Tokyo could be the city where I became an Olympic champion and a world champion.”
Of course, in ’21, the pandemic kept Allman from hearing the roar of the crowd. To hear the full stadium cheer her this time “was truly magic. It felt like the Japanese people were there with me in that moment, which was so special.”
Just off the podium was Vanessa Kamga at 218-6 (66.61), a Swedish Record. All-time great Sandra Elkasević (née Perković) of Croatia — holder of 7 global medals, including 4 golds — placed 5th in 215-11 (65.82). Tausaga took 6th in 214-10 (65.49) and ’22 champion Bin Feng of China placed 7th in 214-2 (65.28).
WOMEN’S DISCUS RESULTS
FINAL (September 14)
1. Valarie Allman (US) 227-11 (69.48)
(221-10, 209-3, 218-1, f, 227-11, f) (67.63, 63.79, 66.49, f, 69.48, f);
2. Jorinde van Klinken (Neth) 221-5 (67.50)
(221-5, 209-9, 218-9, f, 98-0, 218-0) (67.50, 63.95, 66.69, f, 29.88, 66.44);
3. Silinda Morales (Cub) 220-7 (67.25) PR (213-7, f, 220-7, 208-6, 205-1, 201-6) (65.11, f, 67.25, 63.57, 62.52, 61.42);
4. Vanessa Kamga (Swe) 218-6 (66.61) NR
(f, 214-9, 202-0, f, 216-4, 218-6) (f, 65.46, 61.56, f, 65.95, 66.61);
5. Sandra Elkasević (Cro) 215-11 (65.82)
(212-6, f, f, 215-11, 211-9, 212-7) (64.78, f, f, 65.82, 64.55, 64.80);
6. Lagi Tausaga (US) 214-10 (65.49)
(189-1, 204-1, 214-10, 202-8, f, 203-8) (57.64, 62.22, 65.49, 61.77, f, 62.09);
7. Bin Feng (Chn) 214-2 (65.28)
(211-9, 213-10, 213-3, f, 214-2) (64.54, 65.18, 65.01, f, 65.28);
8. Shanice Craft (Ger) 213-11 (65.21)
(193-2, 190-8, 213-11, 207-4, 201-1) (58.89, 58.12, 65.21, 63.20, 61.30);
9. Izabela da Silva (Bra) 207-5 (63.22)
(207-5, f, 202-7, f) (63.22, f, 61.75, f);
10. Alexandra Emilianov (Mol) 205-4 (62.59)
(199-6, 195-8, 205-4, 204-6) (60.80, 59.65, 62.59, 62.34);
11. Alida van Daalen (Neth) 204-2 (62.24)
(188-0, 201-1, 204-2) (57.30, 61.29, 62.24);
12. Samantha Hall (Jam) 199-1 (60.69)
(199-1, f, 189-11) (60.69, f, 57.90).
| * = progression of the leading throw; ¶ = athlete’s best of the day | |||
| first 3 rounds | |||
| Allman | 67.63* | 63.79 | 66.49 |
| van Klinken | 67.50¶ | 63.95 | 66.69 |
| Elkasević | 64.78 | f | f |
| Tausaga | 57.64 | 62.22 | 65.49¶ |
| Craft | 58.89 | 58.12 | 65.21¶ |
| Kamga | f | 65.46 | 61.56 |
| Feng | 64.54 | 65.18 | 65.01 |
| da Silva | 63.22¶ | f | 61.75 |
| Morales | 65.11 | f | 67.25¶ |
| Hall | 60.69¶ | f | 57.90 |
| Emilianov | 60.80 | 59.65 | 62.59¶ |
| van Daalen | 57.30 | 61.29 | 62.24¶ |
| round 4 | |||
| Emilianov | 62.34 | ||
| da Silva | f | ||
| Elkasević | 65.82¶ | ||
| Feng | f | ||
| Craft | 63.20 | ||
| Kamga | f | ||
| Tausaga | 61.77 | ||
| Morales | 63.57 | ||
| van Klinken | f | ||
| Allman | f | ||
| round 5 | |||
| Elkasević | 64.55 | ||
| Feng | 65.28¶ | ||
| Craft | 61.30 | ||
| Kamga | 65.95 | ||
| Tausaga | f | ||
| Morales | 62.52 | ||
| van Klinken | 29.88 | ||
| Allman | 69.48*¶ | ||
| final round | |||
| Tausaga | 62.09 | ||
| Elkasević | 64.80 | ||
| Kamga | 66.61¶ | ||
| Morales | 61.42 | ||
| van Klinken | 66.44 | ||
| Allman | f | ||
QUALIFYING (September 13, auto-qualifier 210-0/64.00)
Qualifiers: Elkasević 218-11 (66.72), van Klinken 217-9 (66.39), Allman 216-9 (66.07), Feng 214-11 (65.52), Tausaga 213-2 (64.99), da Silva 209-2 (63.75), Craft 208-4 (63.51), Kamga 208-4 (63.50), Emilianov 208-2 (63.46), Hall 207-9 (63.32), Morales 207-5 (63.22), van Daalen 205-6 (62.65);
Non-Qualifiers: Kristin Pudenz (Ger) 203-6 (62.02), Marija Tolj (Cro) 202-9 (61.80), Mélina Robert-Michon (Fra) 200-11 (61.24), Liliana Cá (Por) 196-2 (59.79), Zhichao Jiang (Chn) 195-10 (59.71), Gabi Jacobs (US) 195-10 (59.70), Julia Tunks (Can) 195-7 (59.61), Chioma Onyekwere (Ngr) 195-0 (59.45), Irina Rodrigues (Por) 194-4 (59.23), Ieva Gumbs (Lit) 193-5 (58.97), Shelby Frank (US) 193-3 (58.90), Daisy Osakue (Ita) 192-1 (58.56), Lisa Brix Pedersen (Den) 192-0 (58.52), Caisa-Marie Lindfors (Swe) 190-6 (58.06), Subenrat Insaeng (Tha) 190-4 (58.01), Daria Zabawska (Pol) 189-7 (57.78), Amanda Ngandu-Ntumba (Fra) 189-0 (57.60), Marike Steinacker (Ger) 188-5 (57.43), Özlem Becerek (Tur) 187-8 (57.20), Nora Monie (Cam) 182-8 (55.69), Pamela Amaechi (Ngr) 182-8 (55.69), Taryn Gollshewsky (Aus) 181-9 (55.40), Melany Matheus (Cub) 180-4 (54.98), Nanaka Kori (Jpn) 179-1 (54.59), Andressa de Morais (Bra) 173-10 (52.99).
