From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Jessica Woodard uncorked the 2^nd-best shot put throw of her life and the best 5^th-place throw in the meet’s 103-year history at U.S. Nationals Saturday.

Woodard threw a season-best 62-8 on her 3^rd throw of a monster series. Her only superior throw was a 63-7 ¾ when she placed 3^rd at 2022 U.S. Nationals at the same facility.

Incredibly, this was Woodard’s 13^th consecutive top-10 finish at U.S. Nationals. This was her 6^th top-5 finish.

She averaged 60-8 ½ on her five legal throws and finished just 18 ¼ inches from the podium.

Woodard, who only had one 60-foot throw all year before today, had three throws over 60 feet and fell a quarter of an inch shy of her 1^st series ever with four 60-footers.

She opened with a foul before a 59-11 ¾. She then popped three 60-footers in a row, finishing the first round at 62-8 before opening the finals with a 61-0 ¼, a 60-10 and a 59-1 ¼.

The previous-best 5^th-place throw in meet history was a 61-8 ½ by Jessica Ramsey last year.

Jessica Woodard U.S. Championships History
2025 Outdoors [Eugene], 5^th, 62-8
2025 Indoors, Did not compete
2024 Outdoors [Eugene], 7th, 60-3
2024 Indoors [Albuquerque], 4th, 60-11 ¼
2023 Outdoors [Eugene], 5th 60-3 ¼
2023 Indoors [Albuquerque], 3rd, 57-11 ½
2022 Outdoors [Eugene], 3rd, 63-7 ¾
2022 Indoors [Spokane], 3rd, 61-4 ¼
2021 Outdoors [Eugene], 7th, 57-11 ¾
2021 Indoors [cancelled]
2020 Outdoors [cancelled]
2020 Indoors [Albuquerque], 6th, 57-10 ¾
2019 Outdoors [Des Moines], 6th, 57-10 ¾
2019 Indoors [New York], 7th, 57-11 ½
2018 Outdoors [Des Moines], 9th, 58-0 ¾
2018 Indoors: Did not compete
2017 Outdoors [Sacramento], 8th, 57-5 ½

Jessica Woodard All-Time 60-Foot Throws
63-7 ¾ … U.S. Championships, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., June 26, 2022
62-8 … U.S. Championships, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., Aug. 2, 2025
62-7 … World Championships [qualifying], Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., July 15, 2022
62-3 ¾ … Tucson Elite Classic, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 20, 2021
61-10 ¼ … USATF Throws Festival, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 22, 2021
61-8 ¾ … NACAC Championships, Freeport Stadium, Grand Bahamas, Aug. 21, 2022
61-8 ¾ … Memorial van Damme, Boudewijnstadion, Brussels, Belgium, Sept. 7, 2023
61-7 ¾ … U.S. Championships, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., June 26, 2022
61-7 ¾ … U.S. Championships, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., June 26, 2022
61-7 … USATF Golden Games, Hilmer Lodge Stadium, Walnut, Calif., April 16, 2022
61-6 ½ … Ed Murphey Classic, Memphis, Tenn., July 30, 2022
61-5 ¼ … NACAC Championships, Freeport Stadium, Grand Bahamas, Aug. 21, 2022
61-5 ¼ … Diamond League Meeting de Paris, Stade Charléty, Paris, June 9, 2023
61-4 ¼ … Tucson Elite Classic, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 19, 2023
61-4¼i … U.S. Indoor Championships, Spokane, Wash., Feb. 26, 2022
61-3 ¾ … Ed Murphey Classic, Wolfe Track Complex, Memphis, Aug. 4, 2023
61-3 ½ … NCAA Championships, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., June 7, 2018
61-3 … World Championships [final], Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., July 16, 2022
61-2 ¼ … Meeting International Mohammed VI d’Athletisme de Rabat, Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah, Rabat, Morocco, May 28, 2023
61-1 ¾ … Diamond League Meeting de Paris, Stade Charléty, Paris, June 9, 2023
61-1 ¼ … World Championships [final], Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., July 16, 2022
61-0 ¼ … U.S. Championships, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., Aug. 2, 2025
60-11 ¼ … U.S. Championships, Albuquerque Convention Center, Feb. 16, 2024
60-11 ½ … Iron Wood Classic, Iron Wood Throwers Center, Rathdrum, Idaho, June 28, 2025
60-11 ½ … U.S. Championships, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., Aug. 2, 2025
60-10 ¾ … Tucson Elite Classic, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 19, 2023
60-10i … U.S. Indoor Championships, Spokane, Wash., Feb. 26, 2022
60-10 … USATF Throws Festival, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 22, 2022
60-9 ½ … USATF Golden Games, Hilmer Lodge Stadium, Walnut, Calif., May 9, 2021
60-7 ¼ … USATF Golden Games, Hilmer Lodge Stadium, Walnut, Calif., May 9, 2021
60-7 ½i … Don Kirby Elite, Albuquerque (N.M.) Convention Center, Feb. 12, 2022
60-6 ¾ … Tucson Elite Classic, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 19, 2023
60-6 ½ … USATF Throws Fest, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 20, 2023
60-5 ¾ … Tucson Elite Classic, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 20, 2021
60-4 ¾ … USATF Throws Fest, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 22, 2021
60-4 ½ … USATF Throws Fest, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 20, 2023
60-4 ½ … USATF Golden Games, Hilmer Lodge Stadium, Walnut, Calif., April 16, 2022
60-4 … Goteborg Grand Prix, Goteborg, Sweden, Aug. 16, 2019
60-3 ¼ … U.S. Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., June 24, 2021
60-3 ¼ … U.S. National Championships, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., July 8, 2023
60-3 ¼ … U.S. Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., June 29, 2024
60-3 … Big 12 Championships, Lawrence, Kans., May 13, 2017
60-3 … Ed Murphey Classic, Memphis, Tenn., July 30, 2022
60-3 … U.S. Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., June 29, 2024
60-3 … NACAC Championships, Freeport Stadium, Grand Bahamas, Aug. 21, 2022
60-2 ½ … U.S. Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., June 29, 2024
60-1 ¼ … Chula Vista High Performance #3, Elite Training Stadium, Chula Vista, Calif., May 2, 2021
60-0 ½ … Chula Vista High Performance #1, Elite Training Stadium, Chula Vista, Calif., April 3, 2021
60-0 ½ … Tucson Elite Classic, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 19, 2022

65-4 ¼ … Maggie Ewen, 2023