Orji continues dominance, with Ariana Ince and Sam Mattis both securing first national titles; Winger makes 12th consecutive podium in women’s javelin

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

DES MOINES – Keturah Orji has a greater vision and ambition to elevate the collective level of women’s triple jump in the United States to become a legitimate contender annually on the global stage.

RESULTS | PHOTOS | INTERVIEWS

But when it comes to the spotlight of the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships, the Georgia graduate continues to have the stage all to herself.

Orji, 23, representing Atlanta Track Club, became the first American female athlete to win four straight outdoor triple jump titles Thursday with a first-round effort of 47-9.25 (14.56m) at Drake Stadium.

“It’s just kind of unbelievable whenever I think about where I’ve come from,” Orji said. “I never imagined being in this place. I remember when I was younger and I would look at other jumpers and wish I could jump as far as them, so to be in this position now is just amazing.”

Orji surpassed Shani Marks (2006-08) for the most consecutive women’s triple jump crowns. The Bowerman Award winner and NCAA Woman of the Year became the first American athlete, regardless of gender, to win four in a row since John Craft (1971-74).

Only Sheila Hudson, with seven titles from 1987-98, remains in front of Orji among the most decorated female national champions in the history of the event. Orji also became the first female athlete to sweep indoor and outdoor triple jump national titles since Amanda Smock in 2014.

“It’s really significant,” Orji said. “I credit it to my parents, who raised me great and God, who blessed me with the talent. There’s just so many different pieces that have come into making me who I am today and I really credit it to all of that.”

Orji put the pressure on her opponents, namely American record holder Tori Franklin, with her first jump and produced four of the top five marks in the competition.

Franklin took runner-up with a season-best 47-1.50 (14.36m), but remained winless in 12 career head-to-head matchups with Orji. Imani Oliver was third with a season-best 45-5.75 (13.86m).

“I think that’s one thing I always focus on is getting those first few jumps really far because I don’t want to be stressing out at the end of the competition,” Orji said. “I’m hoping to continue to be consistent and hopefully PR soon because it’s been some time. But I have never been this consistent in any year, so I’m happy to be increasing the marks with consistency.”

Although Ariana Ince has enjoyed the best year of her career, her series in the javelin throw was perhaps the most inconsistent of her season, until the fifth round.

That’s when the Rice graduate launched a 200-4 (61.06m) throw to capture the first national title of her career, prevailing against eight-time champion Kara Winger, who took second with a third-round effort of 195-11 (59.73m).

“My series was all over the place. As soon as I threw one that was decent, but I was happy it was one. Luckily that’s all it takes,” Ince said. “I thought it would take further than that, but sometimes other people have bad days and you have an OK day and that’s how it worked out today.”

Ince, who had placed second in 2013 and 2017, was in seventh place through four rounds at 173-8 (52.95m), before surging ahead of Winger, who made the U.S. podium for the 12th consecutive year.

“It’s one of those things, it’s always fun to win, but you want other people to have a good day too. So it was kind of bittersweet,” Ince said. “My goal wasn’t necessarily to come in and win, my goal was to come in and throw as far as I could.”

Ince and Winger, who are both scheduled to represent the U.S. at the Pan American Games on Aug. 6-10 in Lima, Peru, are also the only American athletes with the World Championship standard.

Third-place finisher Jenna Gray, a Stanford junior, equaled her personal best with a sixth-round throw of 187-11 (57.29m). Gray, an All-America setter at Stanford, will return to volleyball training this summer after also placing second July 6 at the North American Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) U-23 Championships in Queretaro, Mexico.

Sam Mattis captured his first men’s discus throw title with a first-round effort of a season-best 218-9 (66.69m). Brian Williams produced a personal-best 215-9 (65.76m) in the opening round to place second.

“I was trying to focus on just one thing and let the throw come to me,” Mattis said. “It’s been a tough season for most of it. However far I was going to throw today was how far I was going to throw and I just wanted to let it come to me.”

Mason Finley, who placed seventh at 200-3 (61.05m), secured the third U.S. berth to compete at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar, based on already previously achieving the standard.