WATCH LIVE: THE PENN RELAYS
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PHILADELPHIA -- As soon as Niki Woods arrived at the javelin area at the Irving "Moon'' Mondschein Throwing Complex on Thursday morning, she knew she'd have to make some adjustments when the competition started at the 126th Penn Relays.
"The wind was the worst I've ever seen,'' said Woods, a senior at Demarest High School (NJ). "So I knew I'd have to throw differently to get off some good throws.''
The Princeton University commit relied on more of a line drive approach, and it worked out perfectly as she took the lead with her first throw and put an exclamation point on her dominant victory with a 141-3 on her final attempt.
Allie Melchiorre of Berwick, Pa. placed second with a 135-3.
Woods joined Amy Krilla of Red Bank Catholic as the only girls from New Jersey to ever win the javelin at the Penn Relays. Krilla won in 2001.
"I had to make sure I kept the javelin as low as I could,'' said Woods, who owns a PR of 149-5 that she threw to win the Meet of Champions title last June. "On a day like today you can't let the javelin get as much air under it as you usually do because the wind will just knock the javelin. It was problem for all of us, so I am just happy I was able to get a few good ones out there. It wasn't a day to PR. It was a day to just throw to win. I really wanted to win this for my school and for New Jersey. It's been since 2001 since Jersey won this, so I wanted to get for our state."
Woods took the lead right away with a mark of 135-6 on her first attempt. She extended the lead with a throw of 138-2 on her second attempt. Then after three fouls, she unloaded the 141-6 to put the finishing touches on her victory.
"This was such a big title to win for me,'' said Woods, who felt her 141-3 may have been over 150 without the wind.
"Since I am going to defend my Meet of Champions title instead of going to Nationals (they are the same weekend), I looked at the Penn Relays as kind of like a national title since there are lots of great throwers from all over here. So this really means a lot to me.