Curtis Thompson capped one of the greatest seasons ever by a New Jersey track athlete Wednesday with a 4th place in the javelin at the Weltklasse, the Diamond League Championships at Letzigrund in Zürich, Switzerland.
Thompson, in his fifth meet in 19 grueling days, threw 269-4 on his second attempt and finished behind reigning Olympic and World Championship gold medalist Neeraj Chopra of India [290-1], Olympic silver medalist Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic [285-2] and 2016 Olympian Julian Weber of Germany [274-8].
Thompson opened with a 254-3 before popping the 269-4. He finished with a 257-1, two fouls and a 257-4.
The 269-4 is the No. 10 throw of his life. Ten of the 13 biggest throws of his life have come since July, including six of his eight 270-footers.
The Florence native, a two-time U.S. champ and 2021 Olympian, is ranked No. 8 in the world this year and No. 1 among Americans with his lifetime-best 287-9 throw at the American JavFest in East Stroudsburg last month. He’s also No. 3 in U.S. history.
This was Thompson’s final meet until the spring.
Here’s a look at all of Thompson’s lifetime 260-foot throws:
287- 9 … American JavFest, East Stroudsburg [Pa.] South High School, July 9, 2022
276-4 … NACAC, Freeport Stadium, Grand Bahamas, Bahamas, Aug. 20, 2022
274-11 … Athletissima, La Pontaise, Lausanne, Switzerland, Aug. 26, 2022
273- 4 … American JavFest, East Stroudsburg [Pa.] South High School, July 9, 2022
271-11… Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, July 4, 2016
271-10 … Spitzen Leichtathletik, Luzern, Switzerland, Aug. 30, 2022
271- 7 … Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, June 21, 2021
270- 3 … Kamila Skolimowska Memorial Invitational, Silesian Stadium, Chorzów, Poland, Aug. 6, 2022
269- 7 … American JavFest, East Stroudsburg [Pa.] South High School, July 9, 2022
269-4 … Weltklasse, Letzigrund, Zürich, Switzerland, Sept. 8, 2022
268- 1 … Oregon Relays, Hayward Field, Eugene, April 23, 2022
268- 1 … World Athletics Championships, Hayward Field, Eugene, July 21, 2022
267- 4 … World Athletics Championships, Hayward Field, Eugene, July 21, 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
266-2 … Spitzen Leichtathletik, Luzern, Switzerland, Aug. 30, 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 Stadium, Victoria, British Columbia, June 15, 2022
264- 8 … USATF Throws Festival, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 21, 2022
264- 1 … USATF Championships, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., June 26, 2022
264-0 … Athletissima, La Pontaise, Lausanne, Switzerland, Aug. 26, 2022
263-10 … 94th annual Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, Mike A. Myers Stadium, Austin, Texas, March 25, 2022
262-3 … Spitzen Leichtathletik, Luzern, Switzerland, Aug. 30, 2022
261- 6 … Kamila Skolimowska Memorial Invitational, Silesian Stadium, Chorzów, Poland, Aug. 6, 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
260-1 … NACAC, Freeport Stadium, Grand Bahamas, Bahamas, Aug. 20, 2022
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 