British Columbia native Ethan Katzberg won the men’s hammer throw title at the Stade de France during the Paris Olympic Games.
His first throw of 84.12 metres held throughout the six-round competition – he won by a distance of 4.15 metres.
This gap is the largest margin of victory in the men’s Olympic hammer throw competition since 1920.
“The 84 was incredible,” said Ethan Katzberg during a post-competition interview with CBC Sports.
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Olympic History
Hungary’s Bence Halas won silver with 79.97 meters and Ukraine’s Mikhailov Kohen rounded out the podium with a second-round throw of 79.39 meters.
Another Canadian thrower, Rowan Hamilton, finished ninth with a throw of 76.59 meters.
Katzberg is the first Canadian in Olympic history to win the men’s hammer throw title. The Nanaimo, B.C.
native adds the Olympic crown to the world championship he won last summer in Eugene, Ore.
Katzberg, from Nanaimo, B.C., opened with an Olympic record throw of 84.12 metres and was not seriously challenged through the rest of the competition to win Canada’s first gold medal in the event.
The reigning world champion also had the second-best throw at 82.28 metres.
No other competitor hit the 80-metre mark.
Bence Halasz of Hungary took silver at 79.97 metres and Mykhaylo Kokhan threw 79.39 metres to earn bronze.
Rowan Hamilton of Chilliwack, B.C., who was second behind Katzberg in qualifying, finished ninth at 76.59 meters.
PARIS – Canada’s relay teams couldn’t tie a bow on one of country’s most successful Olympic swim meets Sunday. But the team’s depth produced a record number of medals in individual events in Paris.
Eight medals in individual distances, including Summer McIntosh’s three gold and a silver, was the most at a non-boycotted Summer Games.
Canada’s host team in Montreal in 1976 also won eight medals, but three in relays. Canadian swimmers. Produced 10 medals in the 1984 boycotted Games in Los Angeles, including two relays.
