Canada may soon add hammer throw to its list of Olympic sports to dominate after Camryn Rogers clinched gold and became the country’s first-ever medalist in the women’s event.
Rogers entered the competition as a favorite and delivered a stellar performance, throwing 76.97 meters on her fourth attempt—her farthest throw of the event. This distance was unbeatable, securing her the gold medal, with Nneka Annette Echikunwoke of the U.S. and China’s Jie Zhao finishing behind her on the podium.
Rogers had already made an impression earlier in the Games by recording the second-farthest throw in the qualification round at 74.69 meters.
This marks the Richmond, B.C. native’s second Olympic appearance. In her first, she made history by becoming the first Canadian woman to advance to the women’s hammer throw final, where she finished fifth.
Rogers is currently the top-ranked hammer thrower globally. She entered the Games as the reigning world champion, having won gold at the 2023 World Championships and silver in 2022. She is also the first and only Canadian woman to medal at the World Championships in the hammer throw.
Her victory is also historic as it represents the first gold medal a Canadian woman has won in athletics at the Olympics since the “Matchless Six,” Canada’s first Olympic women’s team, who competed and medaled in the 1928 Games.
Adding to Canada’s hammer throw dominance, Rogers’ gold came just two days after fellow British Columbian Ethan Katzberg claimed the top spot in the men’s hammer throw event, becoming the first Canadian to win an Olympic medal in that discipline since 1912.