From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Curtis Thompson won his 5^th national javelin championship Friday and he did it in dominating fashion.

Thompson, a 2014 Florence graduate, had the five-best throws of the USATF National Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., including a 275-2, on his 4^th attempt – his 5^th-best throw ever and the 6^th-best throw in meet history. He won by over 20 feet.

Thompson’s five national titles are tied for 4^th-most ever by a New Jersey athlete behind Carl Lewis from 1981 through 1991 [13], Platt Adams [11 from 1907 through 1915] and Eulace Peacock [8 from 1935 through 1945]. The full list is below. So over the last 70 years only Willingboros’ Lewis has won more national titles than Thompson among New Jersey natives.

Thompson is also only the 5^th javelin thrower in history to win five national titles.

Only Breaux Greer, who won eight straight titles from 2000 through 2007, Tom Pukstys, who won six from 1992 through 1999, Bud Held, who won six from 1949 through 1958, and George Bronder, who won six from 1914 through 1919, have also won five.

Thompson also won national titles in 2018, 2021, 2023 and 2024. The 2021 and 2024 nationals were also the Olympic Trials.

With the win and the world championships standard of 280-6, which he threw at the Texas Relays in March, Thompson earned a spot in the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo in September.

Thompson opened with throws of 255-10, 265-4 and 263-6, any of which would have been good enough to win. In the finals, he hit 275-2, then fouled, then finished with a 270-6.

This is only the 3^rd time in his spectacular career Thompson has thrown 270 or more twice in the same meet.

Dash Sirmon, a rising senior at Nebraska from Walla Walla, Wash., placed 2nd with a throw of 253-6 on his final attempt.

Thompson’s margin of victory – 21 feet, 8 inches – is the largest since 2007, when Greer threw 299-6 and Mike Hazle placed 2^nd with 246-3.

At American JavFest in July 2022, he had throws of 287-9 and 273-4, and at the Texas Relays in Austin in March, he had throws of 287-11, 276-11 and 271-9.

His 287-11 is No. 3 in U.S. history behind Breaux Greer [299-6 in Indianapolis in 2007] and Tom Petranoff [292-6 in Potchefstroom, Russia, in 1991] and No. 3 in the world this year.

ALL-TIME NEW JERSEY NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
13 … Carl Lewis [Willingboro]
100-Meter Dash: 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1990
200-Meter Dash: 1983, 1987
Long Jump: 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1991

11 … Platt Adams [Newark High / Barringer]
Long Jump: 1908, 1911, 1912, 1914
Triple Jump: 1907, 1908, 1912
Pole Vault for Distance: 1910, 1913, 1914, 1915

8 … Eulace Peacock [Union]
100-Meter Dash: 1935
Long Jump: 1935
Pentathlon: 1933, 1934, 1937, 1943, 1944, 1945

5 … Marty Liquori [Cedar Grove / Essex Catholic]
Mile: 1969, 1971
5,000-Meter Run: 1975, 1977, 1978

5 … Mel Sheppard [Almonesson, Brown Prep (Philadelphia)]
880-Yard Run: 1906, 1907, 1908, 1911, 1912
5 … Curtis Thompson [Florence]
Javelin: 2018, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025

Curtis Thompson’s 270-foot throws
287-11 … Texas Relays, Austin, Texas, March 28, 2025 [2nd throw]
287-9 … American JavFest, East Stroudsburg [Pa.] South High School, July 9, 2022 [2nd throw]
276-11 … Texas Relays, Austin, Texas, March 28, 2025 [3rd throw]
276-4 … NACAC, Freeport Stadium, Grand Bahamas, Bahamas, Aug. 20, 2022 [3rd throw]
275-2 … USATC Championships, Eugene, Ore., July 31, 2025 [4^th throw]
274-11 … Athletissima, La Pontaise, Lausanne, Switzerland, Aug. 26, 2022 [1st throw]
273-4 … American JavFest, East Stroudsburg [Pa.] South High School, July 9, 2022 [1st throw]
272-5 … Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, June 23, 2024 [1st throw]
271-11… Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, July 4, 2016 [1st throw]
271-10 … Spitzen Leichtathletik, Luzern, Switzerland, Aug. 30, 2022 [3rd throw]
271-9 … Texas Relays, Austin, Texas, March 28, 2025 [4th throw]
271-7 … Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, June 21, 2021 [6th throw]
271-0 … American JavFest, East Stroudsburg [Pa.] South High School, July 13, 2024 [1st throw]
270-6 … USATF Championships, Eugene, Ore., July 31, 2025 [6^th throw]
270-3 … Kamila Skolimowska Memorial Invitational, Silesian Stadium, Chorzów, Poland, Aug. 6, 2022 [2nd throw]

5-TIME U.S. JAVELIN CHAMPIONS
Breaux Greer [8]: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
Tom Pukstys [6]: 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999
Bud Held [6]: 1949, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1958
George Bronder [6]: 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919
Curtis Thompson [5]: 2018, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025
Boyd Brown [4]: 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942