Ramona witnessed an extraordinary display of athleticism as Cuba’s Yaime Perez triumphed at the Oklahoma Throws Series meeting, delivering a remarkable discus throw of 73.09 meters. This achievement marks the longest throw in the world since 1989 and stands as a testament to Perez’s exceptional talent.
Favored by ideal weather conditions, the event saw many athletes surpassing their personal bests. Perez, a former world champion, not only broke through the 70-meter barrier for the first time but also exceeded distances of 71, 72, and 73 meters.
Despite starting with a foul, Perez showcased her skill by launching the discus to 71.96 meters in her second attempt, surpassing her previous lifetime best of 69.39 meters set in 2019. She further extended her lead in round three, achieving her winning mark of 73.09 meters. The 32-year-old concluded her series with throws of 69.13 meters, 71.50 meters, and a final foul.
Perez’s outstanding performance not only secured her victory but also shattered the North American record of 71.46 meters held by Valarie Allman, propelling her to the 10th position on the world all-time list.
Veronica Fraley of the USA secured second place with a throw of 67.17 meters, while Lithuania’s Ieva Gumbs claimed third with a distance of 64.98 meters, both achieving significant personal bests.
In other athletic news, the Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Florida, witnessed impressive sprint performances, with USA’s Jacious Sears clocking a lifetime best of 10.77 seconds (1.6m/s) in the 100m event, dominating the race and winning by a considerable margin.
Tamari Davis emerged victorious in another section of the 100m event, crossing the finish line in a photo finish with Melissa Jefferson, both recording times of 10.94 seconds.
World champion Noah Lyles commenced his outdoor campaign with a victory in the 100m, closely followed by Olympic 200m silver medalist Kenny Bednarek, with both athletes recording a time of 10.01 seconds (1.7m/s).
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The women’s 100m hurdles witnessed a thrilling finish, with USA’s Nia Ali narrowly edging out Tonea Marshall with a time of 12.44 seconds, followed closely by Christina Clemons and world champion Danielle Williams.
Grant Holloway secured victory in the men’s 110m hurdles with a time of 13.21 seconds, while teenager Kaylyn Brown impressed in the women’s 400m event, setting a personal best of 49.95 seconds. Canadian athlete Christopher Morales Williams claimed victory in the men’s 400m event with a time of 44.91 seconds, closely followed by Auhmad Robinson.
The competition also saw remarkable performances in relay events, with US teams securing top positions in the women’s 4x100m, and an international team winning the women’s 4x400m, anchored by Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo.
In addition to these stellar performances, China’s Yan Ziyi made history by breaking the women’s world U20 javelin record with a throw of 64.28 meters at the National Athletics Grand Prix 2 meeting, defeating three-time world medallist Lu Huihui.
