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It was not even close.
Canadian hammer thrower Ethan Katzberg of Nanaimo, BC on Vancouver Island won the nations first ever gold medal in the event.
In Stade de France Katzberg threw for 84.12 metres for the win. His best was slightly longer at 84.33 from April this year. He is on a tear. Katzberg is now the reigning world champion and reigning Olympic gold medallist.
A GOLDEN first throw 🥇
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) August 4, 2024
Ethan Katzberg is Canada’s first Olympic champion in men’s hammer throw 🇨🇦#MedalMoments presented by @petrocanada pic.twitter.com/hJPAsQ30Oy
The 22-year-old is coached by Dylan Armstrong of Kamloops, who medalled in the 2008 Olympics and 2011 and 2013 world championships in the shot put.
His first throw during the afternoon session on Day 9 stuck for six rounds of throwing. It is the second-furthest anyone has ever thrown in an Olympic final. He wins Canada’s first Olympic hammer throw medal since Stockholm 1912 and the country’s first gold medal in any throwing event since St. Louis 1904.
Rowan Hamilton had also advanced to the final, finishing ninth in his Olympic debut with a best throw of 76.59m.
Meanwhile, it was qualification day for the women’s hammer throw. Reigning world champion Camryn Rogers surpassed the automatic qualifying distance with a throw of 74.69m in her second attempt to get into the final with the second-best score.
