US shot putter Ryan Crouser (© AFP / Getty Images)
Olympic shot put champion Ryan Crouser gave the 22-metre line another hammering, this time at the Tucson Elite Classic on Thursday (20), to notch up his 17th consecutive victory.
All five of his valid throws landed beyond 22 metres as the US giant opened with 22.35m and followed it with 22.06m. After a foul in round three, he improved to 22.52m, then threw 22.16m before ending his series with his best mark of the day: 22.60m.
Two-time world indoor champion Tom Walsh, competing outside of New Zealand for the first time since the World Athletics Championships Doha 2019, produced a solid series, topped by a best of 21.71m – just eight centimetres shy of his season’s best. Nick Ponzio was third with 21.33m.
Crouser will be back in action at the same venue on Saturday for the USATF Throws Fest, a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meeting.
View this post on Instagram
Two area records fell in the women’s hammer. New Zealand’s Lauren Bruce reclaimed the Oceanian record, throwing 74.61m to take the win. Nigeria’s Annette Echikunwoke rewrote her own recent African record with 73.93m to finish second, while USA’s Janee Kassanavoid was third with 73.41m.
Another record fell in the women’s discus as Jorinde van Klinken threw 65.94m to break the Dutch record. USA’s Rachel Dincoff was second with a PB of 64.41m, comfortably beyond the Olympic qualifying mark.
World silver medallist Fedrick Dacres threw a season’s best of 65.93m to win the men’s discus. The Jamaican produced a consistent series with four throws beyond 65 metres. USA’s Brian Williams was second with 65.34m.
Elsewhere, there were PBs from Daniel Haugh to win the men’s hammer (78.61m) and women’s shot put winner Jessica Woodard (18.99m).
Diaz, Echevarria and Povea impress in Havana
Cuba’s world U20 triple jump champion Jordan Diaz came close to his 17.49m PB with a world-leading 17.46m despite a -3.5m/s wind in Havana on Saturday (22).
Competing for the first time in 2021, after only one competition in 2020, the 20-year-old achieved that world lead in the first round and followed it with marks of 16.99m (-0.6m/s), 16.62m (0.6m/s) and 16.19m (3.1m/s).
Andy Diaz was second with a wind-assisted 17.37m (3.3m/s), also leaping a wind-legal 17.13m (0.2m/s).
In blustery conditions, world indoor champion Juan Miguel Echevarria recorded a wind-aided 8.55m (3.1m/s) to win the long jump, while Pan American Games medallist Liadagmis Povea was top in the women’s triple jump with 14.93m (0.8m/s) to move to No.2 so far this summer behind Yulimar Rojas.
World champion Yaime Perez improved her world discus lead to 68.99m with her final attempt after marks of 66.77m, 64.95m and 62.85m.
Stahl’s strong season opener
A men’s world discus lead was also set on Saturday (22) as Sweden’s world champion Daniel Stahl threw 69.71m in challenging conditions in Helsingborg. That mark was set in the first round and he backed it up with throws of 69.04m and 67.94m.
Marcus Thomsen threw 20.96m twice in the shot put.
