SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Valarie Allman is going to London.
The Stanford senior, who has a season of eligibility remaining, placed third in the women's discus at the USA Track and Field Championships on Thursday night to earn a spot on the national team for the IAAF World Championships in August.
Allman threw 190-0 (57.93 meters) on her fourth of six throws to solidify her hold on third. By finishing among the top three and earning the IAAF World standard of 200-9 (61.20m) earlier this season, Allman already has clinched her berth.
Last year, she was sixth at the Olympic Trials, but missed third place and the final Rio qualifying spot by only 3 feet, 6 inches.
"It feels unreal," Allman said. "It was on my mind all year, wanting to get back in this spot and try to represent our country."
The difference between 2016 and 2017 was that last year Allman was not expected to compete for top-three spot. This time, she was. On April 22, she won the Cardinal Classic on her home track with a throw of 212-3 (64.69m), which made her the No. 12 American all-time.
"It's a completely different feel when there are expectations," she said. "That's something I'm hoping I get better at handling."
She admitted she was so "tense" on her first throw that she fired a line drive that traveled only 170-6 (51.97m). She overcompensated on her second throw with a moon shot that didn't go much farther. Going into the third round she was in a precarious sixth. Only eight would advance to the final and get three more throws.
She walked over to Zeb Sion, Stanford's first-year assistant who has done wonders with Allman and the entire Stanford throws program. The Cardinal has three throwers – Allman, shot putter Lena Giger, and javelin thrower Trevor Danielson – who reached this meet.
Allman got refocused and unleashed a toss of 187-2 (57.04m) that moved her all the way up to second and released some anxiety. Allman said she went from "survival mode" to competing. Though she was surpassed by Whitney Ashley, who moved briefly into the lead before placing second in a dual with Gia Lewis-Smallwood, Allman solidified her top-three spot in the fourth round with her 190-0 and no one else got within a meter. When Rachel Dincoff threw 176-5 (53.79m) on her final throw, Allman's World spot was clinched.
She will be the first from Stanford to compete on the U.S. team at an Olympics or World Championships and return to collegiate competition since 2005 when triple jumper Erica McLain made the World Championships team after her freshman year. Also, runners Gabe Jennings and Michael Stember returned after making the 2000 Olympic team in Sydney.
What a week for Allman. On Sunday, she graduated with a degree in product design and dressed up as peanut butter on bread for the Wacky Walk, with teammate Vanessa Fraser alongside as jelly.
"I don't know if I'll ever have a week as great as this one, to be honest," Allman said.
A bonus, she got to wear a Stanford uniform after spending the spring as an unattached athlete while redshirting.
"When I got dressed this morning and put on the Stanford uniform, it was the best feeling," she said. "I just wanted to cry. For me, the team is the motivating thing. I absolutely love being on the Stanford team and having teammates and being able to be in that journey together."
A bonus, she got to wear a Stanford uniform after spending the spring as an unattached athlete while redshirting.
"When I got dressed this morning and put on the Stanford uniform, it was the best feeling," she said. "I just wanted to cry. For me, the team is the motivating thing. I absolutely love being on the Stanford team and having teammates and being able to be in that journey together."
She wasn't the only Cardinal to make a U.S. national team. Incoming freshman Liam Christensen won the junior (under 20) championship in the men's javelin. Christensen threw 225-8 (68.79m) and made the U.S. team that will compete at the Pan Am Junior Championships in Lima, Peru, from July 21-23.
Christensen went 218-1 (66.47m) on his first throw to take a lead he never relinquished. This was the sixth national championship Christensen has won, following two in the Junior Olympics, two in the New Balance Outdoor Nationals, and the 2015 U.S. World Youth Trials.
"I feel like I'm finally hitting my groove," Christensen said.
Because there is no high school javelin in his native South Carolina, Christensen feels he can make big improvements once he comes to Stanford and works with Sion.
"As long as I can stay healthy, work with Coach Sion, and be consistent, I feel everything will fall into place from there," he said.
The main portion of the meet began at 5 p.m. with heats of the 800 meters. Though the time was pushed back an hour to allow for cooler temperatures, the temperature was 108 degrees. So, it hadn't cooled off too much.
Stanford junior Olivia Baker ran her first-round 800 heat at about 5:40 p.m. It was 107. Still, Baker said she'd raced in hotter temperatures in age-group meets in Florida.
"You can't really prepare for that when you train at Stanford where the weather's always nice," Baker said.
Baker needed to place among the top three to advance automatically, but finished fifth in her race, in 2:05.41 and did not advance.
"While I didn't run as fast this year as I did last year, I've been learned how to be a better racer. I've had to be more tactical. I'm becoming a better strategic racer and, hopefully, I can get a little faster next year, apply the things I've learned this year, and become even better."
In the men's 10,000, Chris Derrick '12 made a bold move to take the lead with 700 to go and pushed the pace to a 61-second penultimate lap. He maintained the lead against a charging seven-man pack until he was overtaken with 200 to go and finished eighth, in 29:12.58.
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USA Championships
Stanford results, including alumni
Men
10,000 final – 8, Chris Derrick '12 (Nike/Bowerman TC) 29:12.58.
Women
800 first round – 18, Olivia Baker (Stanford) 2:05.41; 28, Claudia Saunders '16 (Brooks Beasts) 2:09.24.
1,500 first round – 20, Rebecca Mehra (Stanford) 4:15.90.
Discus final – 3, Valarie Allman (Stanford) 190-0 (57.93m); 6, Summer Pierson '00 (unattached) 186-0 (56.70m).
Junior Championships
Men
Javelin final – 1, Liam Christensen '21 (Mt. Pleasant TC) 225-8 (68.79m).
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Stanford's remaining schedule
Senior championships
Friday
6:15 p.m.: Women's 400 hurdles first round (Heat 1: Kori Carter). Top 4, plus next 4 in 3 heats, advance to semis.
8:46 p.m.: Women's 5,000 final (Vanessa Fraser, Jessica Tonn).
9:10 p.m.: Men's 5,000 final (Chris Derrick).
Saturday
11:30 a.m.: Men's javelin final (Trevor Danielson).
12:30 p.m.: Women's shot put final (Lena Giger).
1:39 p.m.: Women's 400 hurdles semifinals. Top 4 in each of 2 semis advance to final.
Sunday
1:46 p.m.: Women's 400 hurdles final.
Junior Championships
Friday
2:55 p.m.: Men's 400 hurdles first round (Heat 3: Julian Body). Winner and next 4 fastest among 4 heats, advance to final.
Saturday
10:20 a.m.: Men's discus final (Jake Koffman).
4:10 p.m.: Women's pole vault final (Erika Malaspina).
4:53 p.m.: Men's 400 hurdles final.
Valarie Allman is congratulated by teammate Rebecca Mehra, who finished her 1,500 heat just as Allman concluded her victory lap.