Crouser Throws 22.38m From Puddle; Jamal Britt, CJ Allen Run Sensational Hurdles Times In Rain

By David Woods for DyeStat

Photos by Lily Dozier

DES MOINES, Iowa – Ryan Crouser has thrown so far so often, his sustained superstardom is under-appreciated.

So invent a shot put category: world record from a body of water.

It is no exaggeration. Watch Saturday’s archived video. Shot putters at the Drake Relays were spinning around a ring where rain pooled, then pushing a 16-pound ball as far as they could without hurting themselves or hurtling into a foul.

That’s an underwater WR for Crouser: 73 feet, 5.25 inches (22.38m).

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He set a Drake Relays record, too, and extended his world-record count to 203 throws exceeding 22 meters. Of course, Crouser holds the authentic world records, too, indoors and outdoors.

“I’ve been chasing the Drake Relays record for a long time,” he said. “I own the Drake Stadium record, so I’m happy to finally get Christian Cantwell’s record. I felt really good despite the conditions today.”

Crouser threw almost as far as he did in Wednesday’s special indoor event: 73-6.75 (22.42m).

In winning his fifth Drake Relays flag, he broke Cantwell’s 2006 record of 72-6.25 (22.10m). Crouser set a stadium record of 74-6.5 (22.72m) at the 2020 Blue Oval Showcase.

Crouser was poised to take the world lead but had his mark exceeded Saturday by Joe Kovacs, who threw 74-5.5 (22.69m) at Nashville, Tenn.

Crouser’s fellow Texas Longhorn, Tripp Piperi, finished second at 70-6.25 (21.49m). Payton Otterdahl was third at 68-4.25 (20.83m).

Four women exceeded 60 feet in the shot put, unprecedented for the Drake Relays. World champion Chase Ealey won at 62-8.75 (19.12m), followed by Maggie Ewen at 61-6.75 (18.76m).

Jamal Britt, CJ Allen dominate hurdles

Times by hurdlers Jamal Britt and CJ Allen were more notable than what a world list would reveal, considering the rain and 50ish temperatures.

Britt, 24, a former Iowa collegian, clocked 13.29 in the 110 hurdles for a decisive win and $10,000 in prize money. Last year, he nearly made the world team, finishing fourth at USA Championships in 13.09, and won a NACAC silver medal in a PB 13.08.

“I’ve been through worse. Everyone has to experience the weather,” Britt said.

Another Big Ten hurdler, Darius Luff of Nebraska, was second in 13.48. Eric Edwards Jr. was third in 13.56 and reigning Olympic gold medalist Hansle Parchment of Jamaica fourth in 13.60.

Allen, also nearly made it to 2022 World Championships, finishing fourth at nationals in the 400 hurdles. He dominated here to win in 48.78, nearly as fast as his 48.71 from the previous week at Atlanta.

This is becoming a breakout season for the 28-year-old Allen. He is a Washington State graduate studying for doctoral and master’s degrees at Life University, Marietta, Ga.

In January, he came within .01 of a world record in the rarely run indoor 400 hurdles with a time of 48.88 at Iowa City, Iowa. He was third in the flat 400 in the indoor nationals at Albuquerque, N.M.

“Execution is twice as good as it was last year,” Allen said. “I’ve had an insane finish to my season last season, and a really good start this year.”

Elsewhere:

>> Nikki Hiltz is also having a breakout year, attributing that to a full 12 months of training at altitude in Flagstaff, Ariz. The middle-distance runner followed victory in Tuesday’s road mile with a closing 400 of 60.63 to take the women's 1,500 in 4:09.02. Also this year, Hiltz won a U.S. indoor 1,500 title and set an 800 PB of 1:59.03.

“I’m really thankful for everyone on the Drake Relays team,” Hiltz said. “It’s such an awesome meet.”

Utah’s Simone Plourde, a Canadian, was second in a lifetime-best 4:10.04 and climbed to fourth on the 2023 collegiate list. Huntington freshman Addy Wiley, third in the road mile, finished fourth in the 1,500 in an NAIA record of 4:12.53.

>> In the women’s 400 hurdles, Anna Cockrell powered away to win in 55.52. Dalilah Muhammad and Ashley Spencer, gold and bronze medalists from the 2016 Rio Olympics, both withdrew before the race.

>> Susan Ejore from Under Armour/Mission Run Baltimore won the women's 800 meters in 2:03.84, moving from third to first on the final lap. 

>> Olympian Isaiah Jewett, representing Nike, was the class of the men's 800 field for the second year in a row, winning by more than two seconds in 1:47.05.

>> Paul Ryan of adidas outkicked Great Britain's Charlie Grice to win a competitive men's 1,500 meters in 3:40.23.

>> Will Williams, the reigning U.S. indoor champion, needed only three attempts to win the men's long jump competition. Williams, who won the Drake Relays Slam Dunk competition in January, soared to a wind-aided 25-3.25 (7.70m) in the second round in his return to Des Moines.

Contact David Woods at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.