Reigning World champions all victorious in return to Hayward Field, as they continue pursuit of repeat championships in Hungary; Allman captures fifth consecutive discus crown, Davis-Woodhall wins long jump, Harrison takes high jump title and Hana Moll adds to pole vault all-time prep mark

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

EUGENE, Ore. – A trio of global gold medalists all returned Sunday to the site of last year’s World Athletics Championships triumphs with automatic berths already assured to compete in August in Budapest, and little to prove at the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field.

And yet, world leaders Brooke Andersen, Ryan Crouser and Katie Moon all embraced the opportunities to compete for more U.S. titles, looking to continue their momentum with six weeks remaining until their pursuit of potential championship repeats in Hungary.

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Moon added to her pole vault world lead with a first-attempt clearance of 16 feet, 0.75 inches (4.90m), Andersen held off the challenge of DeAnna Price in a showdown of hammer throw global gold medalists by a margin of 258 feet (78.65m) to 256-6 (78.18m), and Crouser decided the shot put competition on his first attempt, before achieving another 75-foot (22.86m) performance in the final round.

Crouser’s title was his fourth in a row, one less than Valarie Allman capturing her fifth consecutive discus national championship.

JuVaughn Harrison achieved his second high jump crown in three years, with Tara Davis-Woodhall securing her first outdoor long jump championship.

But it was Moon’s performance, her eighth career 16-foot clearance and first since 2021, that was the centerpiece of a pole vault competition that included Washington commit and Capital High graduate Hana Moll adding to her American Under-20 all-time outdoor mark with a 15-1.50 (4.61m) clearance, Sandi Morris overcoming illness to secure her place on the U.S. roster and Bridget Williams achieving her first career World Championships berth.

The Americans have the potential to produce four team members in the women’s pole vault, women’s hammer throw and men’s shot put to compete in Budapest based on Andersen, Crouser and Moon being the defending champions.

Morris and Williams, who also cleared 15-1.50, both have the global standard.

Moll, the reigning World Under-20 gold medalist, will have to wait to see how significant a factor her performance was in elevating her position in the World Rankings quota, since she does not have the 15-5.50 (4.71m) global standard and entered the meet as the eighth-ranked American overall.

Hana matched the national high school record indoor clearance of 15-1.50 achieved Jan. 13 by her twin sister Amanda Moll, equaling the No. 2 all-time World Under-20 outdoor competitor.

Andersen followed three consecutive hammer throw titles by Price with back-to-back championships of her own. Andersen and Price achieved the top two performances of the competition on successive attempts in the fourth round, joining reigning World bronze medalist Janee’ Kassanavoid and first-time qualifier Jillian Shippee on the U.S. roster.

Kassanavoid punctuated her series with a 250-9 (76.44m) in the sixth round and Shippee achieved a lifetime-best 245-10 (74.93m) in the second round.

Maggie Ewen was attempting to qualify for the U.S. national team in both the shot put and the hammer throw, but placed seventh in the latter with a third-round mark of 228-2 (69.54m).

Crouser was critical of his series, despite increasing his all-time 22-meter to 222 career performances, including four Sunday. But he was encouraged about runner-up Josh Awotunde and third-place finisher Payton Otterdahl both surpassing the 22-meter barrier, with Joe Kovacs battling a sore shoulder to finish fourth with a 71-10.25 (21.90m) effort.

Awotunde, last year’s World bronze medalist who joined Crouser and Kovacs in sweeping the podium at Hayward Field, had a fourth-round effort Sunday of 72-6.25 (22.10m).

Otterdahl achieved an outdoor-best mark of 72-5.75 (22.09m) in the second round.to take third overall, completing his climb up the U.S. ranks again following rehabilitation after enduring surgery to repair a torn labrum.

Allman has enjoyed a dominant five-year reign, including the American record of 234-5 (71.46m) last season in San Diego.

Allman prevailed Sunday with a second-round performance of 222 feet (67.66m), with former Iowa standout Laulauga Tausaga-Collins achieving a personal-best 214-9 (65.46m) in the final round and Texas graduate Elena Bruckner taking third at 191-4 (58.33m).

Allman became the first American female athlete to win at least five in a row since Frances Kazubski in 1947-51.

Davis-Woodhall achieved a wind-legal performance of 22-6.50 (6.87m) in the second round, capping her comeback from fouling out on all three attempts last year.

Quanesha Burks achieved a wind-legal leap of 22-4.50 (6.82m) on her final attempt, giving her another opportunity to secure her first global medal after placing fourth at last year’s World Championships.

Jasmine Moore qualified for the U.S. roster with third-place finishes in both the long jump and triple jump. Moore produced jumps of 22-1.50 (6.74m) in both the second and third rounds, in addition to a wind-legal 46-6.75 (14.19m) performance in the triple jump.

Harrison also became a multi-event qualifier for the Americans, adding a third-place finish in the long jump to a second high jump crown in three years.

Harrison cleared 7-5 (2.26m) on his first attempt to edge Shelby McEwen, who successfully achieved the height on his second opportunity.

Oklahoma standout Vernon Turner, the 2022 NCAA Division 1 indoor champion, achieved a second-attempt clearance at 7-3 (2.21m) to take third.