Discus Win by Tammert Keys Event

It wasn’t the world-record discus throw that Jay Silvester unleashed in 1971, but Aleksander Tammert of Estonia helped revive the Antelope Valley College Throws Festival in a big way Thursday.

Tammert, a 23-year-old sophomore at Southern Methodist, won the men’s discus at 212 feet 7 inches, a personal best by more than 14 feet. The mark was the top collegiate throw in the country this year and earned Tammert a spot on the Estonian Olympic team.

“I was looking to throw [203-5] since that is the qualifying mark for the Olympics,” Tammert said.

“So I am pleased.”

The festival had been a regular fixture among elite discus throwers in the late 1960s and early ‘70s because the winds that frequently blow in the Antelope Valley tend to improve discus marks.

But the meet had not been held since 1971 when Silvester produced a throw of 230-11 that still ranks fifth on the all-time U.S. list.

Tammert’s winning throw appeared to be headed out of the throwing sector, but the wind helped it hook back into fair territory.

“I got a little lucky on my throw,” Tammert said. “Not all of the other guys had the same luck.”

Balazs Kiss of Hungary and USC won the men’s hammer throw at 244-9, and Lieja Koeman of Holland placed first in the women’s discus with a personal best of 177-3.

Kiss had the four longest throws in the hammer competition. American Brian Murer placed second at 222-1.

Koeman had the three longest throws in a discus competition that lost some of its luster when Lacy Barnes-Mileham did not show. She had raised her personal best to 208 feet earlier this season, leading to speculation that the American record of 216-10 set by Carol Cady in 1986 might fall.