IRON WOOD THROWS CLASSIC: Still something in the northwest ... Top throwers compete in annual meet at Iron Wood Throws Center

By JASON ELLIOTT

Sports writer

RATHDRUM — Six years later, there was still a little magic in the discus ring for Valarie Sion at the Iron Wood Throwers Center.

First, an American record in 2020 at Iron Wood, which led to gold medal wins in the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, then again in 2024 at the Paris Summer Games.

Sion (then Allman) broke her previous meet record of 230 feet, 2 inches (70.15 meters) — then the American record — with a throw of 230 feet, 7 inches (70.29 meters) in Saturday’s 12th annual event at the corner of Highway 53 and Ramsay Road.

“It’s really special,” Sion said. “It’s hard to believe it’s been six years. Coming back to this facility, it’s incredible to see all the upgrades they’ve done. Iron Wood has been such a significant place for so many throwers and they’re upping their game to keep it that way. My goal today was for the facility record to go from Valarie Allman to Valarie Sion. That was a pretty cool way to end the meet.”

After a throw of 70 meters on her third throw, Sion immediately found her coach and husband Zeb Sion, and gave him a hug. The record came on her fifth of six throws.

“70 meters, once you’ve done it once, it’s addicting,” Sion said. “It’s a big mental barrier and it feels like I’ve been chasing it all year. I just hadn’t quite lined it up, so to finally to here that twice, it shows things are going in the right direction.”

Sion, who competed at Stanford, plans to compete next in the Prefontaine Classic on July 3-4 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

“I’ve been competing five weekends in a row, which is a new challenge for me,” Sion said. “I really gained a lot of confidence, with doing all that travel in different climates and time zones. Prefontaine will have a really elite field, but I love being in the Northwest. I think there’s a bit of magic in this part of the country for me.”

This is the fourth year that the Classic has been part of the USA Track and Field’s Continental Tour, where competitors earn points for each competition.

Winners from each event Saturday received $1,500, with $1,000 for second place, $700 for third and $550 for fourth.

Texas Tanner wrapped up his collegiate career at Air Force last week with a runner-up finish in the men’s hammer throw and fourth-place finish in the discus at the NCAA Championships in Eugene.

On Saturday, Tanner captured the men’s hammer throw with a toss of 245 feet, 10 inches, then won the men’s discus with a throw of 217 feet, 2 inches, a meet record.

“I love coming up here,” said Tanner, who lives in Sheridan, Wyo. “It’s beautiful up here. It reminds me of home, especially living in Colorado at the Academy for the last four years. It’s just amazing. Very similar weather, and I’ve never been here and it’s been poor weather. My dad has a friend up here in Coeur d’Alene and we’d come up as kids and come here all the time. I love the lake and the woods. It’s just beautiful.”

Tanner admitted that he was more focused on the hammer, his favorite. He broke the previous meet record in the discus, set by Andrew Evans in 2018 (216 feet, 8 inches).

“We’ve put some more emphasis on the hammer, but are going to work through this meet and get a strong push in the U.S. meet,” Tanner said, referring to the USATF outdoor track and field championships July 23-26 in Randall's Island, N.Y. “This being a high-level meet, we wanted to gear up for that and see how it’s going to look.”

As for the NCAAs, he’s since moved past it.

“There’s a little sting to it because being national runner-up isn’t the same as national champion,” Tanner said. “But that competition was great and everyone fought tooth and nail. I’m not upset at all.”

Maddie Harris, who threw at the University of Nebraska, opted to see a few states on her journey to the Northwest, which culminated in her winning the women’s javelin with a throw of 190 feet, 6 inches.

“It’s been kind of a fun trip,” Harris said. “We drove from David City, Neb., and got into Coeur d’Alene yesterday (Friday) and stayed in a nice air bed and breakfast. I’d never been to North Dakota, South Dakota or Montana, and I don’t mind the drive, so we just jumped in the car and came out.”

As the competition began mid-afternoon Saturday, a strong wind began to hit the area.

“I was just trying to throw it low,” Harris said. “There was a pretty strong head wind today. I was just trying to keep my body moving into the javelin and keep it low.”

After suffering an right ankle injury last year, Adelaide Aquilla was just trying to get back to what was working in the shot put at Ohio State.

“My whole goal this year was to get constantly back to where I was two years ago,” said Aquilla, who won the women’s shot put with a throw of 63 feet, 2 ¼ inches (19.26 meters). “I’ve just been trying to build that consistency, and keep raising the floor. To see another mark in the 19s or 20s was nice to see.”

Aquilla was injured during training last year.

“I was practicing and landed on my toes on the toeboard and my heel on the ground,” Aquilla said. “I ended up chipping a piece of cartilage on my inner ankle, and we had to go in and get that all cleaned up.”

She added that Saturday was the best she’d felt in an outdoor event this season.

“It was really good to figure out what I need to do with my body post-surgery,” Aquilla said. “It feels good right now and I told the girls afterward that I could definitely feel it in there today.”

Jordan Geist is no stranger to the winner’s circle, winning back-to-back NCAA championships in the shot put in 2022 and 2023 at the University of Arizona.

On Saturday, he won the shot put with a throw of 72 feet 11 ¾ inches while representing the Iron Wood Throws Club.

“There was a lot less stress coming into this meet for me,” said Geist, who is the throws coach at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania. “It’s a great group of guys and they bring a lot of energy. Being able to represent this club at their home meet is really special to me.”

Geist is coached by T.J. Crater, the Iron Wood Throws Classic meet director. Crater was the throws coach at Arizona when Geist won his NCAA titles.

“It was great support for me in college and representing the club he runs is another layer of that,” Geist said. “It’s the general idea that you’re family forever and always going to have support when you need it.”

Shelby Moran, who won the women’s hammer title in Thursday’s practice round, won Saturday’s event as well with a throw of 233 feet, 9 inches. Sindri Gudmundsson of Iceland won the men’s javelin with a throw of 258 feet, 7 inches.

MEN’S HAMMER THROW — 1, Texas Tanner, United States, 245 feet, 10 inches. 2, Grayson Fleming, United States, 242-4. 3, Kade McCall, United States, 226-6. 4, Brock Eager, United States, 224-10. 5, Garret Bernt, United States, 219-9.

WOMEN’S SHOT PUT — 1, Adelaide Aquilla, United States, 63 feet, 2 ¼ inches. 2, Magdalyn Ewen, United States, 60-4 ¾. 3, Jessica Woodard, United States, 57-9 ¾. 4, Nana Gyedu, Great Britain, 53-1. 5, Gabriella McDonald, United States, 52-10 ¼. 

MEN’S SHOT PUT — 1, Jordan Geist, United States, 72 feet, 11 ¾ inches. 2, T’Mond Johnson, United States, 68-5 ¼. 3, Myles Kerner, United States, 67-7 ½. 4, Lucas Warning, United States, 61-0. 5, Zach Short, Honduras, 57-11 ¾. 

WOMEN’S HAMMER THROW — 1, Shelby Moran, United States, 233 feet, 9 inches. 2, Elisabet Runarsdottir, Iceland, 226-7. 3, Stamatia Scarvelis, Greece, 221-11. 4, Lara Roberts, Australia, 220-8. 5, Lexi Maples, New Zealand, 210-8. 

MEN’S DISCUS — 1, Texas Tanner, United States, 217 feet, 2 inches. 2, Joseph Brown, United States, 217-1. 3, Brian Williams II, United States, 216-2. 4, Reginald Jagers III, United States, 213-4. 5, Joseph White, United States, 204-10. 6, Jordan Roach, United States, 197-8.

WOMEN’S JAVELIN — 1, Maddie Harris, United States, 190 feet, 6 inches. 2, Federica Botter, Italy, 187-2. 3, Madison Wiltrout, United States, 183-3. 4, Sarah Blake, United States, 173-4. 5, Adrianne Casey, 166-6. 6, Ariana Ince, United States, 166-0. 7, Emma Yungeberg, United States, 165-3. 8, Julia Compezato, United States, 164-10.

WOMEN’S DISCUS — 1, Valarie Sion, United States, 230 feet, 7 inches. 2, Jayden Ulrich, United States, 211-11. 3, Veronica Fraley, United States, 209-3. 4, Rachel Dincoff, United States, 203-4. 5, Caisa-Marie Lindfors, Sweden, 202-3. 6, Alexandra Freeman, United States, 196-2. 7, Elena Bruckner, United States, 195-7.

MEN’S JAVELIN — 1, Sindri Gudmundsson, Iceland, 258-7. 2, Blake Sturgis, United States, 227-8. 3, Jacob Moran, United States, 198-1.

    JASON ELLIOTT/Press Maddie Harris prepares to make her attempt during the women's javelin throw in the 12th annual Iron Wood Throws Classic on Saturday in Rathdrum. Harris won the event with a throw of 190 feet, 6 inches.
  

    JASON ELLIOTT/Press Jordan Geist, a two-time NCAA champion in the shot put at Arizona, prepares to make an attempt during the 12th annual Iron Wood Throws Classic in Rathdrum on Saturday.
  

    JASON ELLIOTT/Press Texas Tanner, who finished second in the NCAA Championships last weekend in the men's hammer throw, makes an attempt during Saturday's 12th annual Iron Wood Throws Classic in Rathdrum. Tanner won Saturday's event with a throw of 245 feet, 10 inches, then set the meet record in the discus with a throw of 217 feet, 2 inches.
  

    JASON ELLIOTT/Press Adelaide Aquilla, who competed at Ohio State, makes an attempt during the women's shot put at the 12th annual Iron Wood Throws Classic at the Iron Wood Throws Center in Rathdrum.