Gia Lewis-Smallwood sets discus AR at 35; masters snub next?

Check out Gia’s interview after USA nationals.

Can there be any doubt that Gia Lewis-Smallwood holds the W35 American record in the discus? If other mammoth heaves since turning 35 in April weren’t proof enough, she did us all a favor Saturday in Valence, France. As reported by her alma mater, Gia “set a new American record in the discus at the French-sanctioned DecaNation meet. The Champaign, Illinois, native won the event with a throw of 69.17 meters (226-11), besting the field by over 6 meters. [Her] toss surpasses the previous American record of 67.74 meters, set by Stephanie Brown-Trafton in the spring of 2012.” Her previous PR was 67.59 at the Glasgow Diamond League earlier this year. Gia is expected to compete in Marrakech, Morocco, on Sept. 13-14. Next goal would be the W35 world record of 69.60 (228-4) by Russian Olympic champ Faina Myelnik. Since age-group ARs set at North Carolina nationals are listed as pending, it’s only fair that Gia get her name in the masters record books as well.

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August 31, 2014

8 Responses

  1. Ken Stone - August 31, 2014

    It also goes without saying that Gia won’t be considered for any end-of-year USATF masters awards because she failed to honor us with her presence at any masters meet. For shame!

  2. Jerry Bookin-Weiner - September 1, 2014

    Ken, the decision that athletes who do not compete in masters meets are not eligible for awards given by the Masters Committee is one that was reached in a democratic fashion by the Awards Committee and ratified by the MTF Committee at Convention. For shame for being democratic? No, for shame for using your soapbox to contest democratically arrived at decisions. You are a member of the MTF Awards Committee. If you don’t like a decision the group has made then raise it for reconsideration. Don’t go around casting aspersions.

  3. Ken Stone - September 1, 2014

    Would be nice if democracy WERE in action. A vote of all masters athletes, not just members of the Awards Committee, is possible via USATF.org members-only area. Not all decisions need be made by the rabble, but why not try?

  4. Rob Lasorsa - September 1, 2014

    Hopefully, Gia will be throwing for the Twilight Throwers group in the future! -:)

  5. tb - September 1, 2014

    Keep voting until you win!

    Oh, the back-pedaling will be furious when a thrower who does not enter masters meets sets a world record or two later this month.

  6. Terry Parks - September 1, 2014

    Seems like a good rule to me. If you want to win awards from USATF Masters, compete in some USATF Masters meets. We need to encourage people to compete in Masters meets.

  7. tb - September 1, 2014

    Yep, why give an award to someone who may not even be aware they’re a master, or worse, may have no desire to be one? That has ‘awkward moments’ written all over it.

  8. Ken stone - September 6, 2014

    Gia will have to make do with USATF Athlete of the Week honors:
    http://www.usatf.org/News/Gia-Lewis-Smallwood-sets-American-Record-and-wins-.aspx

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