Women's Discus Analysis
1. Seilala Sua
2. Suzy Powell
3. Kris Kuehl
4. Lacy Barnes-Mileham
5. Aretha Hill
6. Edie Boyer
7. Janet Hill
8. Roberta Collins
9. Summer Pierson
10. Dawn EllerbeTwo-time NCAA and U.S. champion Sua advanced comfortably from the qualifying round with a 190-6 in 4th. The recent UCLA grad should win without much problem, bettering her 1996 finish of 8th by seven places.
The big noise, though, came from '96 champion Powell, who hit a meet record 203-1 to lead the qualifiers. Veteran Kris Kuehl was the only other thrower to exceed 200-feet with her 200-7. That trio looks to be a good distance ahead of the pack.
Ultra-vet Barnes-Mileham, 2nd four years ago, has Trials experience dating back to 1988 but will have to produce her longest throw in 2 years just to get the 200-1 Olympic "A" standard, let alone threaten for the team. The third team member in Atlanta, Aretha Hill barely made this final as the 12th and final qualifier at just 171-7. Obviously, she will have to iron out her problems the finals, maybe even approach 215-3 PR level of 1998 to vie for a team berth.
Boyer, who won her single U.S. title in 1995 in Sacramento, was only 8th in qualifying (184-2) but should use her experience to rally for a higher place in the final ahead of Janet Hill (No. 5 qualifier at 185-1), Pierson and Collins.
Hammer winner Ellerbe is already on the team in her speciality and could be relaxed enough to move up a few places. But she will have to watch for Cheree Hicks of Syracuse, who finished 2nd at the NCAA with her seasonal best of 187-0.
/Jon Hendershott/Seasonal records of the finalists:
Kris Kuehl (MF) 199-11 1)Castillo Inv.......03/25 214-4 1)St. Paul...........04/08 203-1 2)PAUSATF............05/21 205-7 2)Raleigh GP.........06/17 208-3 3)Eugene GP..........06/24Suzy Powell (Asics) 204-2 1)Wright Inv.........03/18 210-11 1)UCSD Open..........03/25 201-5 1)Fresno R...........04/01 200-11 2)Mt. SAC Inv........04/16 200-11 1)Drummond Inv.......04/22 214-3 1)Modesto R..........05/13 208-4 1)PAUSATF............05/21 213-5 1)Salinas............05/23 199-3 4)Raleigh GP.........06/17 206-8 4)Eugene GP..........06/24
-Seilala Sua (UCLA) 200-1 1)Westwood...........03/18 208-5 2)UCSD Open..........03/25 178-10 1)USTCA Westwood.....04/01 178-10 1)Westwood...........04/01 178-10 1)Westwood...........04/01 196-5 3)Mt. SAC Inv........04/16 208-4 1)USTCA Team Ch......04/22 196-1 1q)Cal/Nev...........04/29 203-10 1)Cal/Nev............04/30 208-4 1)UCLA-USC...........05/06 207-8 2)Modesto R..........05/13 205-1 1)Pac-10.............05/21 210-8 2)Salinas............05/23 200-9 1)NCAA...............06/01
Aretha Hill (TQ) 204-11 3)UCSD Open..........03/25 193-6 1)Texas R Uni........04/07 196-1 4)Mt. SAC Inv........04/16 197-6 2)Drummond Inv.......04/22 195-1 2)Rio GP.............05/14 195-5 3)PAUSATF............05/21 206-4 3)Salinas............05/23 192-9 6)Raleigh GP.........06/17 200-4 5)Eugene GP..........06/24
Lacy Barnes-Mileham (FU) 196-9 2)Fresno R...........04/01 203-10 1)Wilson Inv.........04/15 195-7 3)Modesto R..........05/13
Lacy Barnes-Mileham (FU) 196-9 2)Fresno R...........04/01 203-10 1)Wilson Inv.........04/15 195-7 3)Modesto R..........05/13
Dawn Ellerbe (NYAC) 175-7 1)Boulder............03/25 170-8 2)USTCA Westwood.....04/01 192-1 1)Lancaster..........04/13 195-5 1)Pomona-Pitzer Inv..04/14 187-4 5)Mt. SAC Inv........04/16 186-9 1)Greeley............04/22 189-2 1)Wy-NnCo............04/25 171-1 1)Air Force Twi......05/12 194-3 1)Logan..............07/01
Edie Boyer (unat) 191-5 1)Minn Qual..........05/13 184-1 4)PAUSATF............05/21 185-5 7)Raleigh GP.........06/17
Roberta Collins (unat) 184-0 1)Columbia...........03/18 171-7 3)Castillo Inv.......03/25 175-5 1)Raleigh............03/31 185-10 1)Sea Ray R..........04/15 191-4 1)Owens Cl...........05/07 174-11 2)Kent...............11/07
-Summer Pierson (Stan) 167-10 2)Stanford...........03/26 173-3 1)Hayward R..........04/08 190-0 3)Pomona-Pitzer Inv..04/14 182-1 1)Mt. SAC Open.......04/16 175-11 3)Drummond Inv.......04/22 173-11 2q)Cal/Nev...........04/29 174-2 2)Cal/Nev............04/30 179-6 1)Cal-Stan...........05/06 178-0 1)Cardinal Qual......05/12 169-4 9)Modesto R..........05/13 177-3 2)Pac-10.............05/21 164-10 11)NCAA..............06/01
-Cheree Hicks (Syr) 179-5 1)Coral Gables.......03/18 183-1 1)Alabama R..........03/26 172-8 6)Pomona-Pitzer Inv..04/14 177-6 8)Mt. SAC Inv........04/16 170-2 3)Penn R.............04/28 184-8 1)Big East...........05/06 164-4 1)ECAC...............05/20 187-0 2)NCAA...............06/01 175-4 8)Raleigh GP.........06/17 176-4 7)Eugene GP..........06/24
April Malveo (unat) 183-3 1)Arlington..........03/25 177-2 1)LSU Alumni.........04/15 172-7 1)Ole Miss Inv.......04/22 177-3 1)Arlington O........05/06 176-5 6)Modesto R..........05/13
Janet Hill (unat) 179-3 4)Pomona-Pitzer Inv..04/14 178-1 1)CSLA Inv...........05/20 168-8 1)Fila OT Qual.......06/17