Evelyn Bliss Throws Thursday at the 2025 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships, Qualification for the 2025 World Athletics Championships at Stake
7/30/2025 3:48:00 PM | Women's Track and Field
EUGENE, ORE.- Fresh off winning a silver medal at the 2025 FISU World University Games, Bucknell's star javelin thrower Evelyn Bliss seeks national glory this Thursday at the 2025 Toyota United States Track & Field Championships. The competition, held at track & field's metropolis of Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, helps determine participation in the 2025 World Athletics Championships. The women's javelin starts at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time/3:30 p.m. Pacific Time and will be streamed on USATF.TV. A subscription is required for viewing. Â
Live Results | USATF.TV
Bliss' showing at the FISU Games was unequivocally the best of her young career, posting four of her all-time top ten throws, including her new personal best and new Bucknell school record of 60.81m (199-6). That distance arrived in the qualifying round and was the finest of a deep, international pool. She led most of the finals with her 57.37m (188-2) throw-the second best of her career, before Turkey's Esra Turkmen passed her in the last round.
Her 60.81 throw achieved contemporary and historical importance. No American javelineer has thrown further in 2025 and the toss ranks tenth in United States history.
From Germany's six hours ahead to Oregon's three hours behind, Bliss is living on her time. "I've gotten to Eugene and I'm getting settled in and ready to compete just keeping the ball rolling and loving the post season," she said.
Bliss avoided the dreaded sophomore slump in 2025, after her record-breaking freshman campaign. Instead, the rising junior upped her game. She won five straight events during the collegiate season, repeated as Patriot League champion, finished first at the NCAA East First Round, breaking Bucknell legend Maura Fiamoncini's school record with a throw of 57.06m (187-2), and then earned Second Team All-American honors again at the NCAA Championships.
Her FISU performance boosted Bliss among the top seeds in the 12-woman field. The field boasts several other throwers on the American top ten list, including Ariana Ince (64.38m) and Madison Wiltrout (61.17m), who sit fourth and eighth respectively in American history. Ince set her mark in 2022 and Wiltrout hit the distance at last year's Olympic Trials – a competition where Bliss established her previous personal record of 55.82m (183-2).
Bucknell throws coach Ryan Protzman was unable to accompany Bliss to Germany, but he is present in Eugene for the national championships.
"Great to be back in Eugene for the US National Championships," said Protzman. "You just feel the momentum building in Tracktown USA and the Paralympics has joined the fun this year. So, there is great energy out here. We are just keeping everything consistent to what she has been working on. The key factor is making sure she is physically and mentally ready to go. It's great going in with the best mark in the United States but you have to be able to show up and get the job done. Regardless of outcome, I'll take Bliss in that situation every time."
Bliss' experience at Hayward Field – two NCAA National Championships, two U20 National Championships, and the Olympic Trials – have created a familiar second home for the Bison athlete. Canonically, after Thursday, she will have competed more times at Hayward Field (six) than at Bucknell's West Fields Throwing Complex (five).
"At this point I'm hoping Oregon doesn't start charging me tuition because I have thrown here more than at Bucknell," said Bliss. "I'm always excited to throw here, I know the runway better than most!"
The number six provides a propitious portent for a Bison athlete. Christy Mathewson's, Bucknell's most prestigious alum, nickname was Big Six.
The 2025 World Athletics Championships will be held September 13-21 in Tokyo, Japan. Victory in the National Championships does not guarantee Bliss' ticket to Tokyo. Entrace into the World Championships involves a complex point system that calculates each thrower's best marks with finishes during the World Rankings period of August 25, 2024-August 24, 2025.Â
36 throwers head to Tokyo. Qualification is earned by meeting the entry standard of 64 meters and world rankings position. Qualification is not earned by finishing position at designated competitions and universality places.
According to the World Athletics list, 11 athletes have hit the qualifying distance. Bliss sat at 98th before the FISU Games and her Rhineland throws rocketed the Bison javelineer to 58th. Three American throwers are ahead of her in the rankings; Wiltrout sits 28th, Harris slots 36th, and Ince ranks 55th.
Bliss will likely need to replicate her FISU performance and earn the win along with Madelyn Harris, Ince, and Wiltrout throwing average to make the trip to Tokyo and represent America.
The simplest outcome for admission is, as Protzman succinctly put it, "Just throw far."
Bliss' 2025 season ends in Eugene if she does not qualify for the World Athletics Championships but the rising junior continues her journey as one of the finest athletes in Bucknell history.Â
A fellow Bison also competes this week in Eugene. Bucknell alum Rayven Sample '24 will be racing in the 100-meter and 400-meter dashes in the 2025 US Paralympics. The T45/46/47 100-meter and 400-meter dashes are both on August 2. The 400-meter race starts at 12:30 p.m. and the 100-meter events starts at 8:34 p.m. and will be streamed on USATF.TV. All times are Eastern. Sample will be the only T45 runner in both events.
Players Mentioned
