Two days after throwing 275-2 in Italy, Curtis Thompson popped an even bigger throw in Texas.
Thompson won the javelin Saturday at the Lone Star Grand Prix in College Station, Texas, with a 278-6 on his 1st throw, the 8th-best throw of his life. Two days earlier, he placed 3rd in the Golden Gala Pietro Mnnea Diamond Discipline at Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
Thompson was only inches off his 2026 season best of 279-11 from Ramona, Okla., in April. That’s No. 4 in the world this year and No. 1 among U.S. men.
He broke the Texas A&M E.B. Cushing Stadium record of 273-4 set last month by Chinecherem Prosper Nnamdi of Texas A&M and Nigeria at the 2026 Alumni Muster.
Three of Thompson’s four-best first throws have come this year, including his last three meets.
After a 250-0 and three fouls, Thompson closed with a 275-1, giving him five 250-foot throws this year after he only had 10 in his entire career before this season.
The 275-1 is his best 6th throw ever, surpassing the 271-7 he had on his final throw of the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene.
The 2014 Florence graduate now has eight throws of 270 feet this year and 29 in his brilliant career.
Sindri Hrafn Gudmundsson, a three-time Iceland national champion, place 2nd with a best throw of 256-7.
Thompson, a two-time Olympian and 2025 World Championships bronze medalist, ranks 3rd in U.S. history with his PR 287-11 at last year’s Texas Relays in Austin. That’s the best throw by an American since Breaux Greer’s 299-6 in Indianapolis in 2007.
Thompson, a five-time U.S. champion and two-time Olympian, goes for his sixth national title next month in New York.
The USATF Championships are scheduled for July 23-26 at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island. Thompson is seeking his 4th straight national title.
Curtis Thompson All-Time 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 [2ndthrow]
286-2 … NACAC, Freeport Stadium, Grand Bahamas, Freeport, Bahamas, Aug. 17, 2025 [2nd throw]
284-4 … World Championships, Tokyo, Sept. 18, 2025 [1st throw]
282-8 … NACAC, Freeport Stadium, Grand Bahamas, Bahamas, Aug. 20, 2025 [3rd throw]
279-11 … Oklahoma Throws Series World Invitational, Ramona, Okla., April 10, 2026 [1stthrow]
279-10 … World Championships, Tokyo, Sept. 18, 2025 [3rd throw]
277-11 … World Championships qualifying, Tokyo, Japan, Sept. 17, 2025 [2nd throw]
278-6 … Lone Star Grand Prix, Bryan-College Station, Texas, June 6, 2026 [1st throw]
277-8 … Drake Relays, Drake Stadium, Des Moines, Idaho, April 23, 2026 [5th 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 … USATF Championships, Eugene, Ore., July 31, 2025 [4th throw]
275-2 … Golden Gala Pietro Mennea Diamond Disciplien, Stadio Olimpico, Rome, June 4, 2026 [1st throw]
275-1 … Lone Star Grand Prix, Bryan-College Station, Texas, June 6, 2026 [6th 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 [1stthrow]
272-5 … Olympic Trials, Hayward Field, Eugene, June 23, 2024 [1st throw]
272-1 … USATF Throws Festival, Roy P. Drachman Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., May 23, 2026 [1st throw]
272-1 … Golden Gala Pietro Mennea Diamond Disciplien, Stadio Olimpico, Rome, June 4, 2026 [2nd 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 [6th throw]
270-5 … Golden Gala Pietro Mennea Diamond Disciplien, Stadio Olimpico, Rome, June 4, 2026 [5th throw] 270-3 … Kamila Skolimowska Memorial Invitational, Silesian Stadium, Chorzów, Poland, Aug. 6, 2022 [2nd throw]
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 