From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Cherokee’s Jessica Woodard placed 4^th in the shot put Saturday at USATF Nationals at Ocean Breeze, her 12^th consecutive top-8 finish at a national championship meet.

Woodard threw 59-0 ¼ on her 3^rd attempt and finished just a foot and a half off the podium.

Since 2017, Woodard has competed at Nationals 14 times and finished 3^rd three times, 4^th twice, 5^th twice, 6^th twice, 7^th three times, 8^th once and 9^th once.

Here’s a look at Woodard’s year-by-year performance at U.S. Nationals going back to her first meet in 2017:

2026 Indoors [New York], 4^th, 59-0 ¼
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