EUGENE, Oregon — Valarie Allman won the first women’s discus medal for Team USATF in meet history and all four U.S. athletes qualified for the final of the women’s 400m hurdles on day six of the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field. Allman’s medal brings the U.S. total to 19, 11 more than the next highest nation, and Team USATF leads the points standings by 103 over Ethiopia with 185.
Women’s Discus Final
A shocking first round throw by China’s Bin Feng threw the form charts into disarray as she added almost 10 feet to her lifetime best with a massive 69.12m/226-9. What had promised to be a duel for gold between Olympic champion and American record holder Valarie Allman (Austin, Texas/USATF New York) and Croatia’s two-time world champion Sandra Perkovic instead turned into a desperate chase after the early leader.
Allman took the early lead with a 67.62m/221-10 on her opening throw and then Perkovic surpassed that with a 67.74m/222-3. Two throws later, Feng hit the jackpot and took a lead that she would never lose. Perkovic improved to 68.45m/224-7 in round two, and then in the next round Allman hit her best of 68.30m/224-1. Allman had one more throw past 68-meters but couldn’t hit the one big throw she has been known for of late, while Perkovic remained in silver medal position.
Allman’s bronze was the first discus medal ever for an American woman at the World Championships.
Laulauga Tausaga-Collins (Spring Valley, California/USATF San…
