(Budapest) Canada’s Camryn Rogers won the women’s hammer throw event at the World Athletics Championships on Thursday in Budapest.
Rogers, of Richmond, B.C., won with a throw of 77.22 metres. Americans Janee’Kassanavoid (76.36) and DeAnna Price (75.41) joined her on the podium.
The first of Rogers’ six shots in the final is the one that won him.
“I’m so excited,” Rogers said, when asked if her perspective on the Paris Olympics has changed. It’s great to win this medal, but also to accumulate experience and to feel that we are on the right track. »
Rogers won silver at worlds in 2022, after finishing fifth at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
The 24-year-old had the fifth-best throw in history, and set a Canadian record, with a throw of 78.62 meters in May.
Roger gave credit to the Canadian hammer throwing community including the late Richard Collier, his son Garrett Collier and his coach Mo Saatara.
“We are privileged to have great people who have a lot of knowledge and want to pass their knowledge on to the next generation,” she said.
Canada swept the hammer throw events at the Worlds. Ethan Katzberg won men’s gold on Sunday.
Earlier in the evening, reigning Olympic champion Andre De Grasse qualified for the 200m final.
De Grasse, of Markham, Ont., finished third in her heat in the semifinals. His time of 20.10 seconds allowed him to be drafted into the final, as the top two runners in each of the three heats plus the other two fastest runners earned a ticket to the final.
Toronto’s Aaron Brown was disqualified for stepping out of his lane. His time of 20.19 could have also allowed him to be drafted for the final. Brendon Rodney finished fourth in his heat in 20.27 and will not be in action in Friday’s final.
At the start of the day, Canadian Evan Dunfee finished off the podium for the second time in a few days.
Dunfee finished fourth in the 35-kilometre race on Thursday with a season-best time over the distance – two hours 25 minutes 28 seconds.
Spaniard Alvaro Martin triumphed in 2:24:30, ahead of Ecuadorian Brian Daniel Pintado (2:24:34) and Japan’s Masatora Kawano (2:25:12).
Dunfee was diminished at the back of the thigh at the end of the race.
“I heard a snap at mile 32,” he said. It’s calmed down, but it’s heartbreaking to finish fourth again. »
Dunfee, 32, from Richmond, B.C., was also fourth in the 20 km walk on Saturday. Martin also won at this distance.
Dunfee won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and at the Worlds in 2019 over the 50km distance. However, this event has been withdrawn from competition.
Also on Thursday, Olympic silver medalist Mo Ahmed of St. Catharines, Ont., qualified for the men’s 5,000-metre final. He finished third in his heat, and third overall, with a time of 13:33.16.
“I think I did well,” commented Ahmed. I got into a good position and finished the race well. »
Alberta’s Marco Arop won his heat in the 800-metre semifinals with a time of 1:44.02. He easily reached the final.
“I saw I was in good shape after 100 yards,” Arop said. So I decided to take a chance and it worked. »