American discus thrower Valarie Allman makes it back to back gold medals at Paris Games

SAINT-DENIS, France — The Olympic field in women's discus had three years to close the gap on Valarie Allman, and on Monday, they found out they'll need four more.

The defending gold medal winner from the 2021 Tokyo Games did it again for Team USA Monday, making it back-to-back golds with a throw of 69.50 at the Paris Olympics. The silver medal went to China's Bin Feng (67.51) and the bronze to Croatia's Sandra Elkasevic (67.51).

Allman fouled on her first attempt, landing the discus wide of the right-side boundary, but took the lead on her second try with a throw of 68.74. She put the competition totally out of reach with the 69.50 on her fourth attempt.

"It felt so wrong. I felt like a fish out of water," Allman said of the foul on her first attempt, one of two fouls among six throws. "It's so much about rhythm and timing and feel, and I wasn't quite calibrated."

If there was any doubt that Allman was the one to beat, she removed it in qualifying on Friday with a throw of 69.59 that was nearly four meters farther than anyone else. She didn't win the gold quite that comfortably, but easily enough.

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"I wanted to embrace the crowd, I wanted to embrace this moment of being at the Olympics and giving it my all," Allman said. "And to end with a throw with the whole crowd engaged right there, that's one of those moments I'll remember forever."

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Allman won her gold medal in Tokyo with a throw of 68.98 and holds the national record at 71.46. She is now only the fourth woman ever to win two Olympic gold medals in discus, and just the third to do so in back-to-back Games. Previously, it was last accomplished by Croatian Sandra Perkovic, who took consecutive golds in 2012 and 2016.

It's been a remarkable professional career for someone whose first passion was dance. The coordination and balance required translated well to discus, and Allman began turning from dancer to discus while at Longmont (Colo.) Silver Springs High School. She took to it quickly enough to become a national champion and earn a scholarship to Stanford.

Reach Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on X @chasegoodbread.

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