Moscow Results:<\/p>\n
8th<\/strong>:62.80m\u00a0 Bronze<\/strong>: 64.96m\u00a0 Silver<\/strong>: 66.28m\u00a0 Gold<\/strong>: 67.99m<\/p>\n Sacramento Results:<\/p>\n 3rd<\/strong>:\u00a0 Shelbi Vaughan 59.75m<\/p>\n 2nd<\/strong>: Liz Podominick 59.96m<\/p>\n 1st<\/strong>: Gia Lewis-Smallwood 65.96m<\/p>\n Gia’s career seemed dead in the water just a couple of years ago, but she pulled off a rare trick for an American thrower: she found a way to stay in the sport long enough to find her groove. \u00a0She finished fifth in Moscow, and has shown the ability to throw 64-65 meters overseas in stadiums.\u00a0 She is also, to my knowledge, the only thrower to defeat Sandra Perkovic in the past two years. (Fun Fact:\u00a0over\u00a0600\u00a0people have climbed Mt. Everest in that time).\u00a0 The big question is, can Gia at thirty-five years\u00a0of age\u00a0hold off the ravages of time long enough to get on the podium in Beijing and Rio?\u00a0 If she does, it will be a great, great moment for American throwing.<\/p>\n (This just in! As I am about to post this article, Gia has thrown 65.59m to take third at the Paris DL meet)<\/p>\n Another question: Can 2008 Olympic champ Stephanie Brown Trafton come all the way back from taking time off to have a baby? She had to be encouraged by her performance in Sacramento (58.84m), but she and Gia are about the same age, so…<\/p>\n A final question: What about the youngsters? Shelbi Vaughan is a special athlete, but she cannot be expected to throw bombs overseas in August after enduring the rigors of the NCAA season, especially if she continues playing volleyball. Whitney Ashley (fifth in Sacramento at 58.68m) is another gifted athlete waiting in the wings. (Fun Fact: At the 2013 Adidas Grand Prix meet, Perkovic’s coach told me that he thought Ashley had a lot of potential but that she should reverse instead of\u00a0using a fixed-feet finish).<\/p>\n Outlook:\u00a0In my dream scenario (the one\u00a0that does not involve Angelina Jolie)\u00a0Gia and Stephanie both elbow\u00a0their way onto the podium next to Perkovic in\u00a0Beijing or Rio.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Javelin<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n Moscow Results:<\/p>\n 8th<\/strong>: 61.30m\u00a0 Bronze<\/strong>: 65.09m\u00a0 Silver<\/strong>:66.60m\u00a0 Gold<\/strong>: 69.05m<\/p>\n Sacramento Results:<\/p>\n 3rd<\/strong>: Leigh Petranoff\u00a0 57.80m<\/p>\n 2nd<\/strong>: Brittany Borman 62.05<\/p>\n 1st<\/strong>: Kara Patterson 62.43m<\/p>\n \u00a0Does anyone else view the javelin as a fickle event?\u00a0 Three weeks ago in New York, I watched the Australian javeliner Kathryn Mitchell throw 66.02m easy as pie and Linda Stahl (a German) throw 67.32m easy as strudel. Then, earlier this week at the Lausanne DL meeting, they went 58.23m and 63.20m respectively.<\/p>\n Outlook: Given the “on any given day” nature of the event, it is entirely possible that Borman or Patterson could make the final in Beijing and\/or Rio. A medal, though, is unlikely.\u00a0Their best route to the podium at a major international\u00a0meet is to\u00a0pull a Gia and stay in the sport into their thirties (Mitchell, by the way, is having her best season at the age of thirty-one).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Shot Put<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n Moscow Results:<\/p>\n 8th<\/strong>: 18.09m\u00a0 Bronze<\/strong>: 19.95m Silver<\/strong>:20.41m\u00a0 Gold<\/strong>: 20.88m<\/p>\n Sacramento Results:<\/p>\n 3rd<\/strong>: Tia Brooks 18.83m<\/p>\n 2nd<\/strong>: Felisha Johnson 19.18m<\/p>\n 1st<\/strong>: Michelle Carter 19.45m<\/p>\n Loads of potential among this threesome of young gliders, two of whom have already garnered significant international experience. Tia was 8th in Moscow, Michelle missed the bronze by a centimeter.<\/p>\n Outlook: There is no reason the US should not have two shot finalists in Beijing and Rio. And after that?\u00a0 Valerie Adams is only twenty-nine, but the Herculean effort behind her seemingly effortless domination of the sport (two Olympic, three Indoor World and four Outdoor World golds since 2007) has left her contemplating retirement after 2016.\u00a0Carter, who threw an American record 20.24m last season, is only a year younger than Val, but seems to be just coming into her own. If she can hang in there for another Olympic cycle after Rio, she might be able to contend for that rather large open space at the top of major championship podiums.<\/p>\n The Hammer <\/strong><\/p>\n Moscow Results:<\/p>\n 8th<\/strong>: 72.70m\u00a0 Bronze<\/strong>: 75.58m\u00a0 Silver<\/strong>: 78.46m\u00a0 Gold<\/strong>: 78.80m<\/p>\n Sacramento Results:<\/p>\n 3rd<\/strong>: Amber Campbell 71.35m\u00a0<\/p>\n 2nd<\/strong>: Jessica Cosby Toruga 71.72m<\/p>\n 1st<\/strong>: Amanda Bingson 75.07m\u00a0<\/p>\n In the past two seasons, three American women (Bingson, Cosby Toruga, and Jeneva McCall) have thrown 74 meters or better. Cosby Toruga is thirty-two, but both McCall and Bingson are just two years out of college.\u00a0 Same for Gwen Berry, who threw 73.81m last year.<\/p>\n Outlook: For Beijing and Rio, getting two in the top eight is certainly attainable. Beyond that, one or more of the Bingson\/McCall\/Berry trio needs to get her PB into the 77-78 meter range to increase the odds of hitting a medal-winning 76m in a major championship.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" My last post examined the prospects of US men making the finals and\/or medaling next year in Beijing and the following year in Rio. Now, let’s consider the ladies. The Discus Moscow Results: 8th:62.80m\u00a0 Bronze: 64.96m\u00a0 Silver: 66.28m\u00a0 Gold: 67.99m Sacramento Results: 3rd:\u00a0 Shelbi Vaughan 59.75m 2nd: Liz Podominick 59.96m 1st: Gia Lewis-Smallwood 65.96m Gia’s … Continue reading Where does that leave us? Part 2: The Women<\/span> ![\"2011](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mcthrows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/gia.jpg\")
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