South Jersey athletes shine at track/field nationals, including titles for Thompson, Ali
Curtis Thompson hit the trifecta.
The Florence native captured his third national title in the javelin, clinching the crown with season-best launch of 265-5 on his final throw, at last weekend’s U.S. Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Pleasantville’s Nia Ali won her first U.S. outdoor title in the 100-meter hurdles while Josh Awotunde (Delsea) earned another trip to Worlds with a second-place finish in the shot put, Jessica Woodard (Cherokee) placed fifth in the shot and Sam Allen (Kingsway) placed third in the 20K racewalk.
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Thompson, who also earned U.S. titles in 2018 and 2021, will represent the country at the World Championships next month in Budapest, Hungary.
After a throw of 256-7 on his fifth attempt moved him up to second place, Thompson uncorked a 265-5 to leap over Capers Williamson for the title. According to track and field guru Reuben Frank, it was Thompson’s second-best sixth-throw of his career. His best sixth throw of his career was a 271-7 at the 2021 Olympic Trials.
Thompson became the seventh man to win three javelin titles in U.S. history and the first since Breaux Greer, who won a national record eight crowns (2000-2007).
Thompson’s personal-best in the javelin was a 287-9 at the American JavFest in 2022.
Ali, 34, ran the second fastest time of her historic career when she blazed the field in 12.37 seconds to win 100-hurdle title, edging Keni Harrison’s 12.42. Ali’s time was the eighth fastest in meet history.
Ali’s PR of 12.34 came at the 2019 World Championships in Qatar, but she didn’t race another 100 until earlier this year. Her 2020 season was erased because of COVID and she took the following year off following the birth of her third child.
An Olympic silver medalist in 2016 and a World Championship gold medalist in 2019, Ali will compete at the World Championships in August.
Awotunde fired a 72-6 ¼ throw, his fourth-best of his illustrious career, to move from sixth to second place behind world-record holder and two-time Olympic gold medalist Ryan Crouser (74-10 ½). Awotunde broke 72-10 three times at last year's World Championships, including a PR throw of 73-1 ½.
Awotunde will compete at next month’s World Championships following his best-ever finish at nationals. He had placed third last season after finishing fifth in 2019 and 2021.
Woodard, who made the U.S. team and placed eighth at the World Championships last year, recorded a throw of 60-3 ¼, finishing eight inches short of third place.
Tom McGurk is a regional sports editor for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering South Jersey sports for over 30 years. If you have a sports story that needs to be told, contact him at (856) 486-2420 or email tmcgurk@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @McGurkSports. Help support local journalism with a digital subscription.
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: South Jersey crowns two champs at USTFA national meet
