Laulauga Tausaga became the first USA athlete to win a women’s discus throw event in the World Athletics Championships history. The 25-year-old American athlete clinched the gold medal in the World Athletics Championships 2023 (Budapest, Hungary), while the USA also won the silver medal after Valarie Allman’s success.
World Athletics Championships 2023: Women’s Discus Throw – The Stunning Event
On the fourth day of the World Athletics Championships 2023 (22 August), Laulauga Tausaga created history with her stunning personal best throw in the fifth round of the women’s discus throw final event (69.49). Before the final event, her previous best throw was 65.46 metres, which she breached thrice in the final. Her last throw in the final event was also 68.36 metres.
On the other hand, Tausaga’s native Valarie Allman, the Tokyo 2020 gold medallist, secured her second successive medal in the World Athletics Championships. The 2022 bronze medallist won the silver medal in the Budapest event with her best throw on the night of 69.23m in the fourth round.
China finally ended their wait for a medal in the World Athletics Championships 2023 as the defending champion Feng Bin claimed the bronze medal with her last throw of 68.20m. It was also her season-best performance.
Though there were three Germans in the 12-player final event, their best rank was sixth with Kristin Pudenz’s 65.96m throw.
World Athletics Championships 2023: Women’s Discus Throw (Final Status/Top10)
Rank | Athlete | Country | Round | Mark | |||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||||
1 | Laulauga Tausaga | United States | X | 52.28 | 65.56 | X | 69.49 | 68.36 | 69.49 (PB) |
2 | Valarie Allman | United States | 68.57 | 66.94 | 68.79 | 69.23 | 64.60 | 68.61 | 69.23 |
3 | Feng Bin | China | 66.97 | 65.16 | 65.91 | 67.18 | 67.41 | 68.20 | 68.20 (SB) |
4 | Jorinde van Klinken | Netherlands | 63.93 | 64.41 | 62.94 | 64.47 | 67.20 | 66.97 | 67.20 (SB) |
5 | Sandra Perković | Croatia | X | 66.57 | X | 65.64 | 65.09 | X | 66.57 (SB) |
6 | Kristin Pudenz | Germany | 63.81 | 63.94 | 65.73 | 64.11 | 65.96 | X | 65.96 |
7 | Shanice Craft | Germany | 63.59 | 61.44 | 65.03 | 65.47 | X | 63.67 | 65.47 |
8 | Liliana Cá | Portugal | 58.86 | X | 63.59 | X | X | 62.49 | 63.59 |
9 | Mélina Robert-Michon | France | 53.34 | 63.46 | X | — | — | — | 63.46 |
10 | Claudine Vita | Germany | 60.29 | 62.51 | 63.19 | — | — | — | 63.19 |
(NOTE: SB = Season Best; PB = Personal Best)
Laulauga Tausaga created new American history
It was the first World Athletics Championships gold medal for the USA in the women’s discus throw. Meanwhile, after Anthony Washington (1999), Laulauga Tausaga became the second American to win a discus throw gold medal at the World Athletics Championships.
What did Laulauga Tausaga say?
Tausaga was even stunned with her best performance to earn a gold medal for her country.
Tausaga said as per Reuters, "It's unbelievable to go from 12th to first. I just said to myself, 'You need to let it out and if it fouls, then so be it'. But it sailed out to that big throw and here I am. I have a gold medal, I can't believe it, it's so unreal. When I saw my distance I just couldn't get to my coach fast enough to give him the strongest hug of my life."
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