Cherry Hill East’s Johnnie Jackson popped a huge hammer throw PR recently, the best throw ever by a New Jersey athlete, a top-10 U.S. throw this year and an Olympic Trials qualifier.
Jackson, competing at the Tucson Throws Festival at Roy Drachman Stadium at the University of Arizona, bombed a 242-10, surpassing his lifetime-best 237-1 from a meet in April 2021 in Baton Rouge, La.
The Olympic Trials “A” standard is 236-2. Jackson’s throw is No. 10 among U.S. men this year and No. 55 in the world. It’s No. 43 on the all-time U.S. list.
This will be Jackson’s second U.S. Olympic Trials. He placed 10th in 2021 in Eugene with a best throw of 226-4.
After competing at 2022 U.S. Nationals in Eugene in June of 2022, Jackson didn’t compete again for 22 months. He returned at a meet in Ramona, Okla., where he threw 231-10. He improved to 233-7 later in April in a meet in Baton Rouge before his breakthrough in Tucson last month.
In Tucson, Jackson – competing unattatched – opened with a 229-7, 234-2 and 233-4 before a foul and then the PR 242-10 on his 5th attempt. He finished with a 237-11, the 2nd-best throw of his life.
Jackson was the 2017 NCAA champion in the weight throw for LSU and placed 6th in the hammer at NCAAs that spring.
The Olympic Trials are scheduled for June 21-June 30 at Hayward Field in Eugene. The first round of the hammer is scheduled for Friday, June 28, with the final June 30.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 