Nanaimo's Ethan Katzberg posted the top result in the hammer throw to qualify for the Olympic final round. Katzberg threw a distance of 79.93 metres. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP)

By Dan Marshall

Top Qualifier

Nanaimo’s Katzberg posts top hammer throw result in Olympic qualifying round

Aug 2, 2024 | 7:41 AM

PARIS — Ethan Katzberg is the reigning world champion in the men’s hammer throw and the Nanaimo product is looking to add Olympic gold to his resume.

On Aug. 2, 22-year-old Katzberg threw for the top result in the Olympic qualification round at 79.93 metres.

He outperformed everyone else by more than two metres, with Canadian teammate Rowan Hamilton posting the next longest throw at 77.78 metres.

The hammer throw final takes place on Sunday, Aug. 4 at 11:30 a.m. our time.

A dozen competitors will be in the field with Katzberg ranked number one.

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Katzberg’s personal best throw of 84.38 metres is tops in this current season and the only result over 84 metres thrown by any of the athletes in the competition.

The world record for the hammer throw is 86.74 metres set back in 1986 by Russian Yuriy Sedykh and the Olympic record dates back to 1988 with a distance of 84.80 metres thrown by fellow Russian Sergey Litvinov.

At the 2023 world championships in Budapest Katzberg took home the title with a then Canadian record distance of 81.25 metres.

Although not a personal best, this past June Katzberg set a championship record at the Canadian Olympic trials in Montreal with an 82.60 metre toss.

His last two seasons have been impressive with wins in six of 12 competitions in 2023 while never placing lower than third in any of his events.

Katzberg was also a silver medalist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The other Nanaimo athlete waiting to compete in her event is 21-year-old race walker Olivia Lundman, whose race is on Aug. 6 starting at 10:30 p.m. our time.

She’ll be joined by race partner and coach Evan Dunfee of Richmond.

A complete list of Olympic event dates and times is available on the Paris 2024 website.

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