Curtis Thompson bombed one of the 10-best throws of his life late Thursday night in Western Canada.
Thompson, a Florence graduate, won the javelin at the Victoria Track Classic at Centennial Stadium in British Columbia with a throw of 265-7.
That’s only 2 ½ feet shy of his best throw this year – 268-1 at the Oregon Relays in Eugene in April – and only six feet from his PR of 271-11 that set the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene in 2016.
Thompson, a 2021 Olympian, competes next at the U.S. Championships – also in Eugene. The javelin is scheduled for 12:35 p.m. June 26 at Hayward Field.
Incredibly, the results from Victoria do not include Thompson’s full series. Curtis, if you’re reading this – and I know you will – please let me know what your five other throws looked like!
Thompson ranks No. 3 in the U.S. and 26th in the world this year with his 268-1.
The top two finishers at U.S. Nationals make the U.S. team for World Championships in July, also at Hayward Field.
Thompson’s three-best lifetime throws have been recorded at Hayward Field. The 265-7 Thursday night was his best throw ever outside the U.S. He also won the 2014 U.S. Junior National Championship at that facility.
Thompson has competed at U.S. Nationals the last six times it was held and has placed 6th or better every time, winning in 2018 and 2021.
2015: 6th, 72.45 [Eugene]
2016*: 2nd, 82.88 [Eugene]
2017: 6th, 72.74 [Sacramento]
2018: 1st, 75.99 [Des Moines, Iowa]
2019: 4th, 76.56 [Des Moines, Iowa]
2020: Not held
2021*: 1st, 82.78 [Eugene]
* – Olympic Trials
Here’s a look at all of Thompson’s 260-foot throws [not including possible additional throws last night]
271-11… Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, July 4, 2016
271-7 … Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, June 21, 2021
268-1 … Oregon Relays, Hayward Field, Eugene, April 23, 2022
267-2 … USATF Throws Festival, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 22, 2021
266-5 … USATF Throws Festival, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 21, 2022
265-10 … American JavFest, East Stroudsburg [Pa.] South High School, July 17, 2021
265-10 … Florida State Relays, Mike Long Track, Tallahassee, Fla., March 25, 2016
265-7 … Victoria Track Classic, Centennial Stadiumn, Victoria, British Columbia, June 15, 2022
264-8 … USATF Throws Festival, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 21, 2022
263-10 … 94th annual Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, Mike A. Myers Stadium, Austin, Texas, March 25, 2022
260-11 … American JavFest, East Stroudsburg [Pa.] South High School, July 30, 2016
260-1 … NACAC Under-23, San Salvador, Estadio Jorge “Mágico” González, June 17, 2016
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 