Beard, Tupua shine at Nike Outdoor Nationals

Kimberly Beard is not a proponent of “last throw, best throw,” a self-explanatory saying in the track & field throws community.

The rising senior at King’s High School tends to throw better in her earlier attempts, when her adrenaline is higher. That was the case at Nike Outdoor Nationals in Eugene, Ore. on June 22, when Beard’s second attempt in the girls hammer throw championship set the lead mark at 57.58 meters (188 feet, 11 inches).

So by the time Beard, a Mukilteo resident, stepped up for her sixth and final attempt, the national championship was all but locked up. With nothing to lose, she stepped into the circle and — contrary to her own tendencies — wound up saving her best for last.

With a 59.76m (196-00) throw, Beard not only strengthened her lead to lock up the title, but set a personal record in the process. After finishing second a year prior by fewer than three feet, Beard came back to earn the crown, clearing second-place Burklie Burton from Utah (56.2m, 184-04) by nearly 12 feet.

“I was really trying to keep all the excitement and everything up so I could keep that adrenaline pumping,” Beard said. “Going into the last round, I was like, ‘Oh, I’m on today. There’s nothing to lose. Just let it all out.’”

Just days before the high school championship, Beard finished second in the U-20 women’s championship with a throw of 57.69m (190-02), so she felt even more motivated to get past 190 feet on her last attempt. Competing in the same ring against many of the same competitors added a sense of familiarity and comfort which helped to combat nerves.

Additionally, the presence of Burton helped Beard stay motivated. With Burton’s personal record at 192-04, there was always a chance she could pop a throw in that range and overtake Beard’s initial lead at 188-11, so Beard couldn’t afford to ease up at any point.

Despite winning the national championship, Beard isn’t resting on her laurels. She has two meets coming up this month, including the National Junior Olympic championships on July 21. To prepare, Beard is throwing five to six times a week and lifting weights four times a week, often doing both in the same day.

Aside from placing as high as she can and working on her technical cues, Beard has her eyes set on a new milestone: eclipsing 200 feet.

“I already PR’d by 10 feet, so I’m not going to be upset if I don’t hit 200,” Beard said. “But that would be really, really fun, and I think it’s really doable.”

Beard was not the only local athlete to place high at Nike Nationals, as Lake Stevens’ Keira Isabelle Tupua finished second in the Emerging Elite discus throw at 43.11m (141-05).

After fouling her first attempt, Tupua was at risk of dropping out at the preliminary stage sitting at 40.67m (133-05) on her second attempt. With other throwers starting to leapfrog her in the standings and push her down the board, she needed a great third attempt to stay in the fight.

“As I was going in the ring and, you know, mentally preparing myself, I just had to throw it and go at it,” Tupua said.

As soon as she saw the discus in the air, she knew it would be good enough to move her up the board. The throw vaulted her into second, and would remain her best attempt by the end of the event.

Tupua entered the day with the seventh-highest seed entry in the Emerging Elite field, but she did not let that hold her back in the circle.

“I’m a very competitive athlete,” Tupua said. “I’ve played three sports almost my entire life, and I’m not just gonna back down from anybody that throws farther and is a lot stronger. I’m going to take that competition and respect everyone, and just give it my best. So I think that’s what really helped me, is that I don’t really like losing. I hate losing.”

Also a basketball and soccer player, Tupua qualified for the Junior Olympic track & field regionals, but is focusing more on basketball this summer instead. She plays with the Northwest Blazers and is traveling all over the country for tournaments.

In the meantime, she’s spending her mornings at basketball training, afternoons working out and training for track, then resting at night. In her eyes, her experiences in each sport has helped her in the other two.

“I think my basketball helps a lot with track,” Tupua said. “When you’re in the ring and you’re pivoting off your feet, same way you would in basketball. And when I did soccer, soccer helped with all three. It kept me in shape, and you got to be light on your feet and pretty quick in the ring, so they all help.”