Throws Preview, Saturday: 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships
Chase Ealey won the 2022 USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field with a mark of 20.51m. Photo by Logan Hannigan-Downs
By Kara Winger
Hey, I’m Kara. Still number one in World Athletics Rankings in the women’s javelin after a 2022 season that saw me become the first ever American javelin thrower to medal at Worlds (in Eugene!!) for the women (I moved from 5th to 2nd in the final round, it was amazing), break the American Record for the second time in my career after not throwing a personal best for twelve full years when I tossed 68.11m in Brussels September 2nd, and then win the Zurich Diamond League Final. I stuck to my guns and retired like I said I was going to, and I have no regrets. And now I get to play fun new roles in the throws universe that I love, and come to the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships and The Prefontaine Classic to celebrate my friends, former teammates and competitors, with fellow fans who also love these events.
Here are my takes on the competition in the Saturday throwing events of the 2023 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships!
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Men’s Hammer
The men’s hammer World standard of 78.00m is outrageous. Rudy has it, multiple others are capable!
Rudy Winkler threw his American Record at Hayward Field, when he won his second straight Olympic Trials title and made his second Olympic Team, Tokyo, in 2021. A breakout COVID season preceded that one, and while he didn’t reach the 80m mark last year, his consistency over 78.50m this season is reminiscent of 2022 that saw him finish his highest yet at Worlds (6th), and an indication of something big building. After reaching a then-World Lead of 80.88m at the end of May (he now sits in second on the world top list), he has challenged himself against his international, historically strong competitors on many occasions, gaining valuable experience to apply once he makes the Budapest team and once again seeks a podium spot he’s capable of.
The dominant figures of the last few seasons, Daniel Haugh and Alex Young, have had modest starts (by their standards) to their 2023 campaigns. Both Daniel and Alex joined Rudy in Tokyo and Eugene on the global stage, and all three men made the Eugene World Championships final, so these two know how to qualify for teams and should not be counted out at these championships. Similar to some other veterans across the throws, perhaps they’re just biding their time in this long season, confident that they’ll have it when it matters. Each has earned prior national titles, a feeling we’re always looking to regain as athletes!
If Sean Donnelly conquers his demons at the 2023 USATF Outdoor Championships and makes this team like we all know he can, the world will cheer. He’s been so close, so many times, and has had a consistent year so far in the mid-70s, with two 76m tosses in Tucson. Due for a breakthrough, this guy!
Someone who has been enjoying a breakthrough is Brock Eager, Washington State product who has steadily improved his PB over the last few seasons, most recently pushing it to 76.58m to sit second in the U.S. standings coming into this meet. His World Ranking is such that, with the kind of performance he’s been putting together recently in Eugene, he can make this Budapest team.
Other fun people to cheer for are Jordan Geist, who finished his University of Arizona career at NCAAs with bronze in the hammer from his PB effort of 75.97m as well as gold in shotput. Would be so cool to see him make the team in his “fun” event! Morgan Shigo trains under 3x Olympian A.G. Kruger at Ashland University, and has been consistent on the national stage in the past. And Erich Sullins, who trains alongside Ryan Whiting in Arkansas, had a PB of 74.56m in Tucson this year. Putting a bit more on that distance on the right day could nab him a World Championship spot.
Established talent at the top, but some opportunity for new bodies in USA uniforms here!
Women’s Shot Put
Two friends set the tone for the event in the U.S. - and in the world - right now, and young talent can take advantage of a cool opportunity at Budapest here.
World leader Maggie Ewen (20.45m PB at the USATF LA Grand Prix) and Chase Ealey (20.51m PB to win the USATF Outdoor Championships in 2022) have been battling back and forth this season, all over the world, and that will only continue in this match-up at Hayward between 2021 Diamond League Champion Maggie and 2022 World Champion Chase. Chase has the wild card into Budapest as the Eugene 2022 champ, and I’m happy to see her here to try and defend her national title. When Maggie is on, she’s on, putting together a few great series in the shot so far this season, but it’s hard to say whose top end could be further. Luckily they’re pushing each other so that they (and we) can find out.
Is Michelle Carter’s 20.63m American Record in jeopardy? Watching Chase in this same ring last year, at both nationals and Worlds, I sure thought so. But will Maggie get there first?
In her first season out of college, Adelaide Aquilla has seen mixed results, but 19.17m at the Oslo Diamond League a few weeks ago is a good indication that she’s ready to do what she has done for the past two seasons: Make a statement at national championships and make a team as a result.
Jessica Woodard has been consistent in the mid-18m range this season, and not only made the Eugene World Championship team, but made the final in clutch fashion on her third qualifying throw: She likes this ring.
Josie Shaefer, Wisconsin graduate, had a breakthrough performance at the end of April to secure a Worlds standard, and is throwing her hat in the literal ring in this fresh new world of post-collegiate throwing. I love to see the just-graduated athletes thrive on this stage: Sometimes NCAA pressure is too much (I also never won an NCAA title!), and USATF National Championships, while a bigger pond, are the fresh start you need on the same mission.
There’s quite a gap in performance at this moment between Chase/Maggie and the rest of the field, and I can’t wait to see who steps up! A record in jeopardy by a world leader (Maggie) and a world champion (Chase), and plenty of other women primed for big throws, I’m excited.
Sidenote from me that watching Chase and Maggie’s friendship continue to flourish as they both elevate their games is the best: Talent respects talent, everyone literally gets their own one minute at a time in the ring and in the spotlight, and these competitive, sportsmanlike, strong women know that they make each other better. That goes for pretty much the entire throwing community, but special shoutout for it here!
Men’s Javelin
Curtis Thompson’s 2022 was so fun to watch, and while results from this event on the season have so far not been outstanding from anyone, multiple men have the experience to make the rest of the summer fun.
Going out on not too much of a limb, but a limb nonetheless, I think Capers Williamson might win this one. He’s been pretty consistent at 79m this season, and at last year’s USATF Outdoor Championship, he really was the one to get the competition started. He’s had his fair share of ups and downs and the work he has put in in the last few years after a bit of a break from the sport feel like they could come to fruition in the form of a national title, and World team spot.
Curtis’s 2022 NACAC Championship gold is the equivalent of a Budapest standard, and his results on the year plus his historic good performances at Hayward Field (2016 Olympic Trials champ, Worlds finalist in 2022, and more) have me feeling confident about his run at this nationals. He has also been to a few Diamond League meets on the season, and will look to return to Hayward in September for the Final, but has some work to do to make that happen. Perhaps nationals is his season turning point!
Ethan Dabbs, returning U.S. Champion and U.S. leader at 80.82m, just wrapped his collegiate career at Virginia. The brand new professional made the World team in Eugene last year, and turned that disappointing performance around with a bronze medal at the NACAC Championships and 81.43m effort. To see international success, return to a college cocoon, and be the national leader coming into an event where he’ll look to defend his title has me excited about his future! If Ethan can trust his technique and let the throw develop, he’ll burst onto his second World Championships team.
Marc Minichello, Ethan Shalaway, Tzuriel Pedigo, and Tim Glover all have PBs of 79m or better, and it truly is anyone’s game when it comes to this competition. The 85.20m Budapest standard is a challenge for all based on the season’s results, but never out of the realm of possibility in the javelin.
Wide open meet. Anyone’s for the taking, including brand new talent further down the start list.