NJ's Curtis Thompson Rules The Javelin, Wins 5th US Title

Jul 31, 2025

New Jersey native Curtis Thompson continued his mastery in the men's javelin by winning his third straight title and fifth overall with a commanding victory at Thursday's USATF National Championships at historic Hawyard Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Thompson, a 2014 graduate of NJ's Florence High and a 2-time Olympian, had the five best throws of the competiton, highlighted by his winning bomb of 275-2!! That ties Thompson for the fifth best winning throw in meet history and is the best throw in meet history since Chris Hill also threw 275-2 in 2009.

With the victory, Thompson secured a spot on the U.S. Team that will compete at the World Championships, scheduled for September 13-21 in Tokyo. Thompson hit the world standard with a 280-6 in March at the Texas Relays.

Thompson, joined a very short list of NJ high school graduates who have won five or more U.S. National Outdoor Championships in the men's competition. Thompson's titles have come in 2018, 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025.

The other four NJ high school grads who have won at least 5 U.S. national outdoor titles on the men's side are Carl Lewis (13), Platt Adams (11), Eulace Peacock (8), and Marty Liquori (5).

There was never any doubt about the outcome on Thursday as Thompson destroyed the competition, winning by 21 feet, 8 inches over runner-up Dash Sirmon, who threw 253-6.

Thompson took the lead for good with a 255-10 on his first throw. He followed that up with a 265-4 and a 263-6. He launched his winning mark of 275-2 on his fourth attempt, and after a foul, he hit a 270-6 on his final throw.

HAMMER TIME

Rudy Winkler, the American record holder in the hammer throw who competed for Rutgers as a grad student in 2018, won his fourth U.S. national title in the men's hammer with a throw of 267-3. Winkler, a 3-time Olympian, recorded the top 5 throws of the meet. Winker also won the U.S. national title in the hammer in 2016, 2018, and 2021.

This is the 5th time that Winkler, the current throwing coach at the University of Maryland, has earned a spot in the World Championships (2017, 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2025), His best finish was sixth in 2022.

Winkler broke his own American record when he unloaded a 272-10 at the Prefontaine Classic on July 5. The record he broke was the 271-4 that he uncorked at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials, which is the meet record.

MORE NJ HIGHLIGHTS

Several NJ athletes advanced to the semifinals in the 800.

Sean Dolan, who starred at Hopewell Valley High (Class of 2019) and Villanova, ran a season-best 1:45.99 to place third in his heat in the opening round of the men's 800 to advance to Friday's semifinals.

In the women's 800, Athing Mu-Nikolayev (Trenton High-Class of 2020), Olivia Baker (Columbia High-Class of 2014), Ajee' Wilson (Neptune High-Class of 2012) and Allie Wilson (Monmouth University) all earned a spot in Friday's women's 800 semfinals. Natalie Dumas, the 16 year-old rising senior at Eastern High, didn't advance.

In the first heat, Mu-Nikolayev, the 2021 Olympic gold medalist in the 800 and the American outdoor record holder in the event, won her heat in 2:00.06, just ahead of 2-time Olympian and 2022 World Indoor Champion and American indoor record holder Ajee' Wilson (second in 2:00.65). Allie Wilson, a 2024 Olympian, was fifth in 2:01.24. Baker placed second in the third heat in 2:00.47 to earn a berth in the semis.

Dumas, who set the NJ high school 800 record in 2:00.11 last month when she produced her epic triple at the New Balance National Championships, ran 2:08.09 in the third heat.

Olympian English Gardner (Eastern High-Class of 2010) ran 11.12 to place third in her heat in the first round og the women's 100 dash to earn a berth in Friday's semfinals. Gardner won a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics as a member of the 4x100 relay.

Casey Bogues, a 2019 graduate of Middletown North who starred at Dayton, finished 10th in the women's javelin with a 160-1.

Liam Murphy NJ (Allentown High-Class of 2020/Villanova), ran 3:40.93 and failed to advance to the semifinals of the men's 1,500.

Tionna Tobias (Winslow High-Class of 2019/Iowa)) finished 14th in the women's long jump with a leap of 20-1.

NOTE-This article will be continually updated with more NJ results from Thursday.