Hannah Grace Takes Attempts At Meet Record In Girls Pole Vault

By Keenan Gray of DyeStat

John Nepolitan photo

NEW YORK CITY – Last year, Owen Spira watched from outside of the throwing cage after not qualifying for the boys weight throw final at the Millrose Games.

On Thursday, he found his way into the final, and didn’t shy away from the moment, either.

The senior from Exeter-West Greenwich RI entered the final round of competition in fourth place, then launched himself atop the leaderboard with nearly a three-foot personal best throw of US#3 77 feet, 4.75 inches (23.59m) to win at the 117th Millrose Games at The Armory in New York City.

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Spira, who came in ranked US#4 with a best of 74-11 (22.72m), knew something special was going to come on the final throw.

“I’ve really felt all year I had a lot more in the tank,” Spira said. “There’s just been some small things in there that I needed to fix…I was feeling good today. I had a really consistent series a little under my PR.”

Up to the sixth round, Spira’s best throw was 73-11.5 (22.54m), which he hit twice in both the third and fifth rounds. 

Shamrock Thoun of Woonsocket RI, the national leader, led the competition threw five rounds with his mark of 76-0.75 (23.18m). 

Then, US#2 Jack Harmon of North Kingstown RI, overtook Thoun by one inch in the final round with a mark of 76-1.75 (23.21m). 

Setting Spira up for his last throw, he needed every bit of energy to not only throw a personal best, but also far enough to pull away from Thoun, who had one more throw to go.

“Last throw, I’m just going to get in there, hit it hard off one (foot), try to hit all of my positions and I got through it on the end today,” Spira said. 

Thoun’s final throw resulted in a foul and ultimately placed him third overall, giving him his first loss of the 2025 season. 

Another US#1 fell on the girls side, too, with US#2 Meagan Ewers of Medgar Evers Prep NY taking down Vanessa Jones of Toll Gate RI by the slimmest of margins.

Ewers used a fifth-round throw of 56-4.75 (17.19m) to beat Jones, who has thrown a U.S-leading mark of 57-0.25 (17.38m) this season, by an inch, throwing 56-3.75 (17.16m) in the last round.

Hannah Grace of Coastal Christian NC cleared 14-3.75 (4.35m) to claim the Flying Circus Girls Pole Vault title. 

Grace, who cleared 14-6 (4.42m) at the UCS Spirit National Pole Vault Summit in Reno on Jan. 17, took attempts at 14-7.50 (4.46m) but missed all three in an effort to break Hana Moll’s facility and meet record of 14-7.25 (4.45m).

Tyler Williams of Garage Strength, fourth at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the men’s hammer, threw 23.02m (75-6.25) to win the men’s weight throw competition. 

Elisia Lancaster of Shore Athletic Club won the women’s weight throw with a first-round mark of 21.97m (72-1).