TORUŃ, POLAND, March 20 — Two-time women’s outdoor world shot champion Chase Jackson has added a World Indoor gold to her collection. Throwing Friday evening local time on the first day of competition in the global champs’ 21st edition, Jackson won at 66-1 (20.14) from Canadian Sarah Mitton’s 64-10¾ (19.78) and a 64-9¾ (19.75) throw by Nebraska’s Swedish NCAA indoor champion Axelina Johansson.
In claiming Team USA’s first medal of the Championships, Jackson took the lead from Olympic champion Yemisi Ogunleye of Germany with a 64-10¾ (19.78) second-round throw and then in frame 4 hit her winner immediately after Mitton unleashed her best of the competition.
Her gold medal performance made Jackson, who won outdoor Worlds gold at Oregon 22 and Budapest 23, the second U.S. woman to claim a WIC title following Michelle Carter in 2016.
“I wanted to come here and finish the collection of having the full set of world indoor medals,” said a smiling Jackson, who earned WIC silver in ’22 and bronzes in ’24 & ’25. ”This has been one of those medals I have been chasing. I am really proud of it. I wanted a big result but I am really happy with what I did today.
“Indoors is really hard, [specifically] the wait times, you’re waiting a long time. So between the fourth round, because I was first, I ended up having to wait till the end, so, you know, I had to wait almost an hour between throws. It can be really hard.
“But me and [coach Paul Wilson] kind of planned for that. We were kind of ready. I think I adjusted my technique for indoors for that. I still think I could’ve thrown further, but it’s really hard to maintain that for such long periods in between.”
Her mark, however, was by no means chopped liver. Only four U.S. throws have ever flown farther: Four by Jackson led by her 67-¾ (20.44) AR at the USATF Indoor Champs 3 weeks ago plus the 66-3¾ (20.21) with which Carter won the 2016 WIC crown in Portland.
Jackson, 31, has long been no great fan of throwing under a roof. At least for now, she is saying she’s had enough of it.
“This is my indoor retirement, I probably won’t throw indoors anymore. Today, it was hard for me to be ready. It was 15 athletes competing and it takes a long time to throw.… When I was leading, I wanted to stay warm, which was a bit challenging.… It is nice coming to outdoors after winning this championships.
“But before that, I will watch the boys and the whole competition. I just love watching track & field, it’s exciting.”
