THE ROSTER OF very likely medalists was pared to a pair of World Championships gold medalists after the U.S. Trials. That duo: Canada’s 2023 world champion Camryn Rogers and the event’s second 80-meter thrower, DeAnna Price of the USA, who won at the Worlds of 2019.
The 25-year-old Rogers has been the model of consistency. In 18 finals over the past two years, she finished with a best of less than 75 meters (246-1) only once. Price, 31, 8th at the previous two Olympics and 3rd at Budapest 2023, had regularly thrown at a high level this year. Rogers held a 4–1 edge in their previous meetings.
There were numerous others eager to step up, including Trials winner Annette Echikunwoke; the 21-year-old rapidly improving Chinese, Jie Zhao; new European Champion Sara Fantini (Italy); and young Finn Silja Kosonen. And of course, history’s greatest hammer thrower, World Record owner Anita Włodarczyk (Poland), now in the twilight of her illustrious career.
The qualification standard, 73 meters (239-6), proved too far for all but six entrants. The first to reach it was a relaxed-looking Echikunwoke (241-2/73.52), soon followed by Rogers (245-0/74.69). Azeri Hanna Skydan and Jie were next in Group A.
The second group yielded the best throw of the day, a national record 245-4 (74.79) by Finland’s Krista Tervo. Price and Dane Katrine Jacobsen also produced automatic qualifiers; Fantini, Kosonen and Włodarczyk advanced, while third American Erin Reese did not.
Price began the final by fouling into the net. This was a harbinger of what was to follow, as she could only manage a 232-11 (71.00) best, leaving her 11th and out after three rounds.
Meanwhile, Echikunwoke opened safely at 239-10 (73.11), then unleashed a 247-8 (75.48) bomb in the third round, within a centimeter of her PR, placing her in a completely unexpected lead.
Rogers, notably stoic in the ring and a meter behind after three rounds, closed the gap to 2 inches in the fourth, and decisively claimed the gold medal with her 252-6 (76.97) mark on her next throw. As at the World Champs last summer, the result followed a men’s hammer win for Canada by Ethan Katzberg.
The battle for the bronze was won by the always-smiling Zhao, whose 243-8 (74.27) held off a clutch seasonal best from Włodarczyk by only 2 inches. Finns Kosonen and Tervo…
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