King’s HS, Mukilteo, WA, c/o 2026
AthleticNET Bio
Kim Beard got her introduction to sports early. It just so happens that her start began in an unconventional sport. She began with the hammer and discus at age 5. That’s correct, age 5. As she tells it.
“At the time my brother was in high school, and my father [Chris] was the throws coach at his school, I was only 5ish then and would come to practice with my dad. To keep me occupied he designed a small, wood discus for me. He traced a bagel on wood, cut it out and added a small washer to the top and bottom for added weight. He made a 2 lb hammer out of anchor chain, cable, shackles and hammer handle. I also had a turbo javelin and a 6 pound shot. I competed for several years at all comers meets and was allowed to throw a special hammer meet with my brother.”
She even found throwing shoes.
“We found some at a thrift store or something when I was younger. They were some tiny itty bitty Nike throwing shoes that were size five or so. We still have those.”
She still has the small hammer and discus from those early years as well.
With that early introduction Kim has been setting records along the way, getting coaching from parents who were throwers themselves.
Her mom, Donna [ nee MCDonough], was a trailblazer in the throwing world. She was a two time All-American in the javelin(‘84 & ‘85) at Azusa Pacific University. She picked up hammer throwing afterwards. She was often the only woman entered at the hammer events at track meets, so she would join the men throwers and was scored separately.
“It was always very congenial, the guys thought it was cool that a woman was throwing,” says Chris.
Kim’s hammer throw technique was unorthodox in those early years. As she tells it, her arms could not rise above her head when she was younger. Kids don’t have that ability since their bodies are disproportionate to the size of their heads. She’s been told because she doesn’t quite remember, “ Apparently I would just wind it in front of my face and then release it,” she says laughing.
She followed her mom’s trailblazing efforts in the hammer throwing. Because of her age, she would enter open/college events as no USATF or AAU hammer throw[ AAU doesn’t offer it at all at any age group] was offered until the age of 15 years old. You have to dig deep to find results or at least know that her marks are kept in the Direct Athletics database. As early as 9 years, 9 months and 20 days,…
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