Four women will represent Team USA in hammer throw at World Championships

Brooke Andersen wins the 2022 USATF Outdoor Hammer Throw title, throwing 77.96m(255-9). Photo by Skyler Humphrey-Davis

By Joe Zochert

The women’s hammer throw was the first team selected for the upcoming World Athletics Championships Oregon22 on day one of the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field. It includes four of the nation’s best throwers, including Brooke Andersen, Janee Kassanavoid, Annette Echikunwoke and Deanna Price. Each will have a chance to earn the U.S. its second medal in the event after Price won the world title in Doha.

Andersen, the champion, is excited to be on a team with this group of women at the first world championships on home soil.

“We have a great group of girls,” she said about the group. “I believe in their abilities and my ability as well so that we can achieve the highest standing for the U.S.”

Andersen threw the four farthest distances of the day, ultimately winning with a 77.96m (255-9) on her fourth attempt. Despite the national title, the 2020 Olympian refuses to underestimate the competition she will face in less than a month.

“I never count anyone out,” said Andersen, who placed 10th at the 2019 Doha World Championships. “I would like to say I believe in my ability to get the job done.”

Kassanavoid threw 76.04m (249-6) to place second and earn a spot on her first world championships team. After missing the Olympics by one place at the Olympic Trials last year, she put in the work to claim her spot on the podium this year.

“It feels great you know, what I commit my time and sacrifices for,” Kassanavoid said. “So essentially putting in the work each year, I could say, ‘I failed,’ but I was still at the elite level of a world-class athlete.”

“So coming back I was just focusing on myself and controlling me in the ring.”

The Missouri-native is in the midst of a career year having thrown a personal best 78m (255-10) in May. She hopes to use it to capture a medal. 

“This is the best I've ever been in my career,” said Kassanavoid. “So I'm just really excited and I think I can do pretty well and hopefully come home with a medal.”

Third-place finisher Echikunwoke had a fantastic day on Thursday, achieving the world championship standard on her second throw with a mark of 73.76m (242-0). The throw earned her a place on the podium and a return trip to Hayward Field in less than a month. 

“I was just happy to be here,” she said about getting the standard. “I knew I could do it and so it was great that I could execute that today.”

This will be Echikunwoke’s first ever time on this world stage. She was initially going to compete for Nigeria at the Tokyo Olympics, but the Nigerian team was disqualified due to negligence from its Athletics Federation.

As an Ohio native, the 25-year-old is eligible to represent the U.S. at the world championships. Echikunwoke couldn’t have been more excited to go alongside these three women.

“They're so amazing, I've gotten to compete with them a couple of times, and it's been awesome,” said Echikunwoke. “Everybody's so sweet and I'm just excited for all of us to really go show out.”

These top-three finishers will be joined by Price as she receives an automatic bid to Oregon22 as the reigning world champion in the hammer throw.

The American record holder launched her two best throws of the season with a 73.07m (239-8) and a 72.99m (239-5) on her sixth and first attempts, respectively. These two throws were a welcome sight as she has been dealing with injuries since the Olympic Trials last year. 

“About a week before trials, I was at practice and I just felt a little pain in my foot,” said Price. “I just thought it was a muscle pull.”

“I took off the shoes and I had about a baseball-sized swelling on top of my foot and I knew something was wrong.”

A MRI scan revealed a snap on the tip of Price’s fibula near her ankle and a fractured talus along with three torn tendons in the right leg. On top of that, she was already dealing with a torn labrum in her right hip.

“I never really had a moment to take that in and assess it,” she said about her injuries. “Because immediately when I got home (from the Olympics), I went straight to surgery.”

10 months ago, Price underwent ankle reconstruction surgery and had a hip reshaping surgery a month later. Despite these hurdles, she has managed to work her way back as she began “hard” throws in March earlier this year.

“There's moments that you know, you're hitting a new level, but like in my head, I know how to do that,” said Price. “But my body hasn't quite got to that.”

Even with the individual progress at nationals, Price couldn’t be more excited to be a part of history again with this special group of hammer throwers..

“Having four women for the first time ever in United States in the women’s hammer throw is so exciting,” she said.  “And I cannot wait to rewrite history again with these ladies.”