Veterans Hold the Edge in Throwing Events at USATF Outdoor Championships

Published by Scott Bush

A loaded women's shot put field highlights the throws and multi-event disciplines in Eugene this weekend, as Michelle Carter seeks another national title, but has a host of competition eager to unseat her at the top.

Throws and Multi-Events

Women's Shot Put

The shot put is one of the deepest, if not the deepest, women’s field event at the USATF Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Six of the top ten women in the world are entered, including defending champion Michelle Carter, who continues to build her legacy as the great women’s shot putter in American history.

Carter currently ranks third best in the world with her seasonal best of 19.20m, with fellow American Brittany Smith ranking fourth with a best of 18.96m. Throw in Dani Bunch, who ranks sixth with a toss of 18.89m, and the fight for the win only deepens.

Felisha Johnson, who placed second in 2014, third place Tia Brooks and Jeneva Stevens each rank top ten in the world at 8-9-19, all owning seasonal bests between 18.73-18.67. The depth in this year’s field makes it not only a fun event to watch to see who wins, but also who qualifies for one of the three Team USA spots.

While she may not contend for a top three spot in Eugene, NCAA champion Raven Saunders takes her best shot against the pros. The rising sophomore just wrapped up an extremely good freshman campaign, winning the NCAA title and currently ranks top 20 in the world. Fans should definitely keep an eye on her throughout the competition.

Discus

If you would have asked last year in August who would be the national champion in 2015, Gia Lewis-Smallwood would have been the overwhelming response. Fast forward 10 months and the American record holder will be hard pressed to finish top three.

Lewis-Smallwood’s 2014 season indicated a medal was a definite possibility this season, as she beat the nearly unbeatable Sandra Perkovic at one point and bested the national record. Such success doesn’t always repeat, especially when injury can take a toll on built up fitness.

The two pre-event favorites to take home the national title are Shelbi Vaughan and Whitney Ashley. Both rank top ten in the world at the moment, with Ashley ranking eighth with a best toss of 64.80m and NCAA champion Vaughan ranking tenth with a 64.52m best.

One cannot discount 2014 runner-up Liz Podominick either. She carrier a 63.87 best into the weekend, and along with last year’s third place finisher Vaughan, has a realistic chance to win.

Hammer

The hammer is always a fun event to watch and this year’s field should be as fun as ever. Defending champion Amanda Bingson leads the way, seeking a repeat of last year’s fine performance, but she won’t be alone up top competing for the victory.

Veterans Amber Campbell and Jeneva Stevens both rank top ten in the world with seasonal best marks of 72.81m and 72.69m. At this point, it wouldn’t be surprising if either comes out on top in Eugene.

They are joined by Gwen Berry and NCAA champion DeAnna Price, who could both sneak up to finish top three on a good day. Price in particular is one to watch, coming off a successful collegiate season and moving into her senior season at Southern Illinois University.

Javelin

Defending champion Kara (Patterson) Winger and 2014 runner-up Brittany Borman resume their rivalry in Eugene, both seeking the national title as both are off to strong starts in their 2015 seasons. Winger currently ranks third in the world with a seasonal best of 66.47m, while Borman ranks sixth in the world with a 64.75m mark. Both are on track for big seasons and it certainly isn’t unreasonable to think both athletes can challenge the 67 meter barrier this weekend.

Heptathlon

Defending champion Sharon Day Monroe leads a small, but talented field in the women’s heptathlon. Day Monroe is a slight favorite heading into Eugene, but Barbara Nwaba might have something to say about it. Nwaba was runner-up at the USATF Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 2014 and currently ranks top twelve in the world after finishing 11th at the loaded Gotzis multi-event meet