Monster discus performance Saturday by Delsea junior Gianni Johnson-Slater, who bombed a 20-foot PR and the No. 1 throw in the state this year at the Woodbury Relays.
Johnson-Slater, who came into the meet with a PR of 116-9, threw over 120 feet four times, including her winning bomb of 136-7 on her fifth throw.
That’s No. 20 in South Jersey history, No. 8 in Gloucester County history and the top throw by a South Jersey girl since 2017.
She’s the fourth Delsea girl to surpass 135 feet in the discus, following South Jersey record holder Jocelyn White [172-2 in 2004], Jamine Moton [161-1 in 1997] and Jen Frank [138-11 in 2006].
Johnson-Slater only began throwing the discus last April. She PR’d at 116-9 when she won the South Jersey Group 3 meet at Delsea. She opened this spring with a 112-6 at the Jim Camburn Relays at Buena earlier this month.
But Saturday, she averaged 130-6 on her four legal throws and won a great battle with Williamstown junior Ciara Demarest, who recorded a nice PR of her own at 129-3, the best non-winning mark ever at Woodbury. Her previous PR was 125-2.
Johnson-Slater opened with a PR 123-4 and then PR’d again at 129-8 and again with a 132-7 heading into the finals. She fouled on her 4th attempt before hitting the 136-7, then fouled on her final attempt.
Her 136-7 is the best throw at Woodbury since Cherokee’s Jessica Woodard set the meet record of 149-11 in 2012.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 