Gia Lewis-Smallwood Wins Fourth U.S. Discus Title

Lewis-Smallwood winning throw of 205’6” (62.65m)

Women's Track & Field June 22, 2017

Gia Lewis-Smallwood Wins Fourth U.S. Discus Title

Lewis-Smallwood winning throw of 205’6” (62.65m)

SACRAMENTO, CA – Former Illini Gia Lewis-Smallwood won her fourth U.S. Track and Field discus title in five years, as the Champaign, Illinois native marked 205'6" (62.65m) to win the event on Thursday evening at Hornet Stadium. As one of the top three placers in the event, the United States record-holder qualifies for 2017 IAAF World Championships, held August 4-13 in London.

The former Illini's winning throw came on her fifth attempt, as Lewis-Smallwood marked 205'6" (62.65m) to surpass Whitney Ashley's third throw of 200'6" (61.13m). Following Smallwood's fifth throw, Ashley closed the lead to just over a foot with a 204'1" (62.20m) mark on her fifth attempt. But, after the four-time champion added her second 200-foot throw with a 201'11" showing on her final attempt, Ashley was unable to unleash a throw to match Lewis-Smallwood's fifth attempt.

Lewis-Smallwood advanced to the event finals with a throw of 199'3" (60.74m) on her second attempt of the evening, ranking second behind Ashley's 200'6" (61.13m) third attempt.

Now a four-time United States Outdoor Track & Field Champion, Gia Lewis-Smallwood won three straight U.S. titles from 2013 to 2015 and enters the 2017 meet with the top qualifying mark (215'11") in the field. A Champaign, Illinois native, Lewis-Smallwood was the 2001 Big Ten discus champion in 2001 and earned First Team All-America honors at NCAA Championships with a fifth-place finish. On the international stage, the former Illini competed for Team USA at the 2012 Olympics, Pan Am Games and the IAAF World Championships.

Lewis-Smallwood will begin World Championships competition on Friday, August 11 in one of the two qualifying rounds. The women's discus final is held two days later, August 13.

Tomorrow at U.S. Championships, high jumper Kandie Bloch-Jones and 400m hurdler David Kendziera will open competition in Sacramento. Bloch-Jones competes in the high jump at 7:40 p.m. central time, while the opening round for the 400m hurdles begins an hour later at 8:40 p.m.

For more information on live results, schedules, tickets and qualifying standards, click here. For a complete listing of NBC's television coverage, click here.

For complete coverage of Fighting Illini Men's Track and Field, visit FightingIllini.com, follow the Illini on Twitter (@IlliniMTrack) and Instagram (@IlliniMTrack) and like Fighting Illini Men's Track and Field on Facebook.

Women's Discus World Championships Qualifiers

1.Gia Lewis-Smallwood, 205'6" (62.65m)

2.Whitney Ashley, 204'1" (62.20m)

3.Valerie Allman, 190'0" (57.93m)

Illinois Schedule of Events:

Friday, June 23

7:40 p.m. CT – Women's High Jump Final

8:40 p.m. CT – Men's 400m hurdles First Round

Saturday, June 24

3:55 p.m. CT – Men's 400m hurdles Semifinal

Sunday, June 25

3:56 p.m. CT – Men's 400m hurdles Final