Duke Hammer Throw Shines on First Day of Duke Invitational

DURHAM – The Duke throws unit shined on the first day of the Duke Invitational as the Blue Devils recorded three top-five program marks and five top-five placements across the men’s and women’s hammer throw competitions.
 
Aimar Palma Simo shattered his own school record while Christian Johnson and Christian Toro improved their respective top-five marks in school lore en route to the trio claiming the top three spots in the field. Moorea Mitchell and Zoe Waddell headlined the women’s competition for Duke as the pair produced solid performances to secure placements in the top five.
 
TOP PERFORMANCES

• The Duke men showed strength in numbers once again as the trio of Christian Johnson, Aimar Palma Simo and Christian Toro swept the top-three spots in the men’s competition while registering personal bests and improving each of their top-five program marks in the process.
• Palma Simo collected his second event win of the outdoor campaign while besting his previous PR and own school record by nearly five feet. Stepping into the cage for his fifth attempt, Palma Simo launched the hammer 71.48m (234-6 feet) to slot himself atop the field of 27.
• Johnson was next in line, registering a second-place finish via a PR of 70.87m (232-6 feet). The graduate student delivered the clutch throw on his sixth and final attempt of the competition, besting his previous PR and No. 2 program mark by two feet.
• Toro locked up third place thanks to a monster throw on his first throw of the afternoon. The freshman’s attempt measured 64.37m (211-2 feet) – No. 3 in program lore and more than a foot better than his previous best.
• On the women’s side, Moorea Mitchell and Zoe Waddell provided strong showings for the Blue Devils with the duo claiming two of the top-five placements.
• Mitchell opened the competition with a bang as she tallied her furthest throw on the first attempt. The senior’s toss measured 58.74m (192-8 feet) – good for event runner-up.
• Waddell finished in fourth after the graduate student came through with her best throw of the morning on attempt number three – the toss checking in at 58.09m (190-7 feet).
• Results from day one of the Duke Invite can be found here.

 
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