SAN DIEGO, CA (April 8) – Valarie Allman, the Olympic champion in women’s discus, continued her quality start to the season by winning the event at the 2023 UC San Diego Triton Invitational meet on Friday (7). Allman threw an impressive 70.25m to secure her victory, marking the third-best throw of her career.
Despite starting with a solid throw of 67.58m, the American fouled on her next three attempts. Nevertheless, she bounced back to deliver the winning throw in the fifth round, on her way to surpassing the 70-meter mark for the sixth time in her career.
Allman made her season debut last week at the Texas Relays, where she also won with a 67.90m throw. She owns the North American record with an effort of 71.46m, set to win during the 2022 Triton Invitational.
Meanwhile, Jorinde van Klinken, the Dutch European bronze medalist representing the University of Oregon, took the runner-up spot at the 2023 UC San Diego Triton Invitational with a throw of 67.05m in the sixth round. Cuba’s 2019 world champion, Yaime Perez, finished third with a throw of 66.97m in the final round, which was one of her three marks over 66 meters during the competition.
Other notable competitors were fourth-place finisher Laulauga Tausaga-Collins of the USA, and a world finalist with a throw of 63.92m, as well as African champion Chioma Onyekwere of Nigeria, who secured fifth place with a throw of 60.79m.
