A field day for Canadians at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games

© Copyright – 2024 – Athletics Illustrated

First, it was Nanaimo, British Columbia’s Ethan Katzberg with the first-ever Canadian men’s hammer throw gold medal. Not to be outdone, Richmond, BC’s Camryn Rogers did the same bringing home the first women’s gold for Canada in the Hammer. Alysha Newman from London, Ontario, the veteran pole vaulter, took bronze on Wednesday. In that event she set a new national record in the first ever Canadian medal in the pole vault.

Alysha Newman’s bronze

Newman vaulted to 4.85m. She bettered her former national record which was 4.82m.

“I just feel so honoured to be the first pole vaulter to bring home an Olympic medal for Canada. I think that has been my goal and everyone was saying, if there’s someone to do it, it’s going to be me. I’m so, so happy I lived up to that expectation,” Newman said.

Continue to raise the bar ✨#Paris2024 #Olympics
📸: Darren Calabrese/COC pic.twitter.com/kU4lfpZxDe

— Athletics Canada (@AthleticsCanada) August 7, 2024

Australian Nina Kennedy earned gold vaulting a season-best 4.90m. American Katie Moon took silver with her 4.85 and season best. Nineteen women started the competition on Wednesday, and it took over three hours to finish the competition. Kennedy, went over the bar for the last time on her second-to-last jump at 4.90m, knowing she already had gold attempted 4.95, but failed to go any higher.

The 30-year-old won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games that took place in Gold Coast, Australia. At the 2017 London and 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships she finished seventh and fifth, respectively. Close, but yet so far.

Newman considered switching to decathlon for a period, however, stuck with pole vault and the patience paid off.

Sarah Mitton in shot put

Next up in the field events is Nova Scotia’s Sarah Mitton as she starts her Paris 2024 schedule in women’s shot put qualifying. The reigning world silver medallist is looking to put in her first Olympic final and that road starts Thursday.

Mitton holds the current Canadian record at 20.68m which she accomplished in May this year in Pennsylvania. The 28-year-old Liverpool, NS native is a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist.

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