World’s best in men’s shot put to face off at USATF Throws Festival

TUCSON -- A rematch of the men’s shot put final from the 2019 World Championships that produced the greatest medal competition in history highlights the USATF Throws Festival Saturday at the University of Arizona in Tucson, part of the USATF Journey to Gold - Tokyo Outdoor Series.
 
Fans can watch the bronze-level Continental Tour meet on USATF.tv+ starting at 3:30pm PDT/6:30pm EDT. 
 
World champion Joe Kovacs came through when it counted in Doha, blasting a 22.91m/75-2 on his final attempt to snatch the gold medal away from Team USATF teammate Ryan Crouser and New Zealand’s Tom Walsh, both of whom hit 22.90m/75-1.75 earlier in the competition.
 
Those three will face off again in the ring, along with three other Doha finalists in Team USATF’s Darrell Hill, Nigeria’s Chuk Enekwechi and Canada’s Tim Nedow. Crouser and Walsh went head to head Thursday night at the Tucson Elite Classic, with Crouser again surpassing 74-feet for the win at 22.60m/74-1.75. Walsh, in his first meet outside of New Zealand in two years, took second at 21.71m/71-2.75. Kovacs set the outdoor world-leading mark of 22.72m74-6.5 to win the Jesse Owens Classic in Ohio on May 1, while Hill won the USATF Golden Games at Mt. SAC with a 22.34m/73-3.5.
 
American record holder and reigning world champion DeAnna Price leads a women’s hammer field that features the three best Americans in history. Price upped her own AR to 78.60m/257-10 at the beginning of April, but lost to Brooke Andersen at the USATF Grand Prix in Eugene, where Andersen had three throws past 77m and won at 77.99m/255-10. Gwendolyn Berry, the 2019 Pan American Games gold medalist, is No. 3 on the U.S. all-time list at 77.78m/255-2.
 
Topping the 2021 world men’s hammer list with a best of 81.98m/268-11, Rudy Winkler gives Team USATF a rare double medal threat in the hammer along with Price. He set that lifetime best in winning the USATF Grand Prix in Eugene and backed it up with a solid victory Tuesday at the USATF Open in Fort Worth. Daniel Haugh improved his lifetime best to 78.61m/257-11 to win the Tucson Elite Classic and move to No. 9 on the all-time U.S. performer list, one spot ahead of Conor McCullough, the 2015 Pan American Games bronze medalist who is also entered here. Mexico’s Diego Del Real, who is second on the world list with a best of 78.68m/258-2 this season, adds to the impressive field.
 
Seeking her fourth Olympic berth in a career that has established her as the greatest American women’s shot putter ever, Rio 2016 gold medalist and American record holder Michelle Carter will face Jessica Woodard, who is fresh off an 18.99m/62-3.75 win at Tucson Thursday night, along with Jessica Ramsey, who hit 19.50m/63-11.75 during the indoor season. Canada’s Sarah Mitton is the top international entrant and was second behind Woodard two days ago.
 
World Championships silver medalist Fedrick Dacres of Jamaica came out on top in his Thursday showdown with Brian Williams in the men’s discus, and Dacres is clearly the favorite with a lifetime best of 70.78m/232-3. Mason Finley, the 2017 World Championships bronze medalist, is the best American in 2021 with a 66.40m/217-10, but finished second to Kord Ferguson at the USATF Golden Games. Ferguson improved his PR to 64.34m/211-1 to take third Thursday evening. Other contenders include 2018 USATF champion Reggie Jagers and Alex Rose of American Samoa, along with reigning national champ Sam Mattis.
 
After moving to second on the collegiate all-time list with a 65.94m/216-4in the women’s discus Thursday night, Jorinde Van Klinken of Arizona State and the Netherlands is the one to beat. American Rachel Dincoff was second in that competition and has shown consistent improvement this season as she has increased her personal best to 64.41m/211-4. Jamaica’s Shadae Lawrence won the NCAA gold for Kansas State in 2017, and Kelsey Card was the collegiate champ for Wisconsin in 2016.
 
Both javelin competitions feature the top Americans on the 2021 lists, with Michael Shuey bringing an 81.01m/265-9 that he backed up with an 80.57m/264-4 to win Thursday night. Riley Dolezal and Curtis Thompson have also surpassed 80m in their careers and will give Shuey plenty of competition.
 
Maggie Malone elevated her lifetime best to 62.70m/205-8 to win the USATF Open at Fort Worth, but never count out American record holder Kara Winger, who is returning after rehabbing an injury. Winger was the 2019 Pan American Games gold medalist and was fifth at Doha. She has the six best performances in U.S. history, capped by her AR of 66.67m/218-8. Ariana Ince beat Winger for the 2019 U.S. title and was the bronze medalist behind her at the Pan American Games.
 
Besides the throwing events, there are two intriguing high jumps that showcase the Cunninghams -- 2016 World Indoor champion Vashti and her brother Randall, who is returning from a serious injury sustained in winning the 2018 NCAA indoor gold. Vashti Cunningham has established herself as a regular medal threat on the international stage and has won eight national titles already at age 23. She hasn’t lost to an American in a national championship meet since the 2016 Olympic Trials. Veteran Inika McPherson, an Olympic finalist in 2016, and Cunningham’s training partner Jelena Rowe will be joined by Doha eighth-place finisher Ty Butts-Townsend in trying to topple Cunningham. Trey Culver is second on the 2021 U.S. men’s list with a best of 2.33m/7-7.75, and Doha 11th-placer Jeron Robinson is close behind. 
 
The next stop on #JourneyToGold is the adidas Boost Boston Games on Sunday, May 23. Live coverage begins on USATF.tv+ starting at 10:00am EDT, followed by NBC from 4:30pm-6:30pm EDT.
 
Fans can follow along with #JourneyToGold and #USATF on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.