Athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's hammer throw

The women's hammer throw competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The event was held at the Olympic Stadium on 12–15 August.[1] Each athlete received three throws in the qualifying round. All who achieved the qualifying distance progressed to the final. Each finalist was allowed three throws in last round, with the top eight athletes after that point being given three further attempts.

Women's hammer throw
at the Games of the XXXI Olympiad
VenueOlympic Stadium
Date12–15 August 2016
Competitors32 from 19 nations
Winning distance82.29 m WR
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Anita Włodarczyk  Poland
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Zhang Wenxiu  China
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Sophie Hitchon  Great Britain
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Official Video Highlights

The winning margin was a huge 5.54 metres which with the conclusion of the 2024 Paris Olympics remains the only time the women's hammer has been won by more than two metres at the Olympics.

Summary

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Anita Włodarczyk, the reigning World Champion and European Champion, was one of the stand-out gold medal favourites in the Olympic athletics programme, given that she held all ten of the best throws that year and a season's best of 80.26 m – the third best ever. The next best thrower that season was almost five metres behind on the rankings: Betty Heidler was the European runner-up. China's Zhang Wenxiu and Wang Zheng were the next highest ranked.[2][3][4]

Włodarczyk continued her unbeaten streak since 2014 to top qualifying in 76.93 m. Zhang was second best in the round and Rosa Rodríguez of Venezuela was a surprise third automatic qualifier. The top-ranked athletes progressed, though non threw beyond 72 metres. Hanna Skydan of Azerbaijan and American Gwen Berry were the most significant of the eliminated athletes.[5]

In the final, Włodarczyk assumed the lead with her first throw of 76.35 m, ahead of Zhang's 75.06 m and Heidler holding bronze position with 71.38 m. The second round saw Sophie Hitchon move into bronze position with a 73.29 m. On the next throw, Włodarczyk improved her position with an 80.40 m, that nobody would match. In the third round Zhang improved and so did Włodarczyk in a big way. Her third throw was 82.29 m (269 ft 11 in) a new world record. Her mark improved upon her own previous world record by 1.21 m and was 2.87 m (over 9 feet) further than any other woman (Heidler) has ever thrown. It was Włodarczyk's sixth world record and the fourth in succession since August 2014. In the fourth round Zalina Marghieva moved into bronze position with her best throw of 73.50 m. The fifth round saw Heidler edge back into bronze position with a 73.71 m, then Zhang solidified her silver position with her best throw of 76.75 m and Włodarczyk threw 81.74 m, only the second best throw in history to her third round throw. On her final throw, Hitchon leapfrogged back into the bronze medal with a 74.54 m British National Record.[6]

The medals were presented by Irena Szewińska, IOC member, Poland and Svein Arne Hansen, Council Member of the IAAF.

Two weeks after the Olympics, Włodarczyk improved the world record again out to 82.98 m (272 ft 2 in).

Schedule

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All times are Brasília Time (UTC−3).

Date Time Round
Friday, 12 August 2016 20:40 Qualifications
Monday, 15 August 2016 10:40 Finals

Records

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Prior to the competition, the existing World and Olympic records were as follows.

World record   Anita Wlodarczyk (POL) 81.08 m Władysławowo, Poland 1 August 2015
Olympic record   Anita Wlodarczyk (POL) 77.60 m London, United Kingdom 11 August 2012
2016 World leading   Anita Wlodarczyk (POL) 80.26 m Cetniewo, Poland 12 July 2016

The following records were established during the competition:

Date Event Name Nationality Distance Record
16 August Final Anita Włodarczyk   Poland 80.40 m OR
16 August Final Anita Włodarczyk   Poland 82.29 m WR

The following national records were established during the competition:

Country Athlete Round Distance Notes
Poland   Anita Włodarczyk (POL) Final 82.29 m WR, OR, AR
Great Britain   Sophie Hitchon (GBR) Final 74.54 m

Results

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Qualification

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Qualification rule: qualification standard 72.00 m (Q) or at least best 12 qualified (q).

Rank Group Name Nationality #1 #2 #3 Result Notes
1 A Anita Włodarczyk   Poland 76.93 76.93 Q
2 B Zhang Wenxiu   China x 70.72 73.58 73.58 Q
3 A Rosa Rodriguez   Venezuela x 69.34 72.41 72.41 Q, SB
4 B Joanna Fiodorow   Poland 71.77 71.59 69.29 71.77 q
5 A Zalina Marghieva   Moldova 68.80 71.72 70.90 71.72 q
6 B Betty Heidler   Germany 71.17 66.62 68.60 71.17 q
7 B Hanna Malyshchyk   Belarus x 64.69 71.12 71.12 q
8 B Amber Campbell   United States 71.09 x x 71.09 q
9 A DeAnna Price   United States 69.25 69.52 70.79 70.79 q
10 A Wang Zheng   China 68.91 70.60 x 70.60 q
11 B Sophie Hitchon   Great Britain x 70.37 68.68 70.37 q
12 A Alexandra Tavernier   France x 68.42 70.30 70.30 q
13 B Hanna Skydan   Azerbaijan 67.05 68.98 70.09 70.09
14 A Gwen Berry   United States 68.07 x 69.90 69.90
15 B Malwina Kopron   Poland 69.31 69.69 x 69.69
16 A Liu Tingting   China 67.40 69.14 63.35 69.14
17 A Katerina Safrankova   Czech Republic 66.52 68.33 65.30 68.33
18 B Kathrin Klaas   Germany 67.92 64.89 67.01 67.92
19 A Martina Hrasnova   Slovakia 67.63 66.10 64.32 67.63
20 A Alena Sobaleva   Belarus x 66.71 67.06 67.06
21 B Tuğçe Şahutoğlu   Turkey 65.47 67.05 61.92 67.05
22 A Iryna Novozhylova   Ukraine 66.70 x 65.15 66.70
23 A Heather Steacy   Canada 66.01 x 63.78 66.01
24 B Marina Marghieva-Nikisenko   Moldova 65.19 63.82 65.10 65.19
25 B Amy Sene   Senegal 64.83 x 60.91 64.83
26 A Kıvılcım Kaya Salman   Turkey x x 64.79 64.79
27 B Jennifer Dahlgren   Argentina 63.03 x x 63.03
28 B Iryna Klymets   Ukraine 62.00 x 62.75 62.75
29 A Charlene Woitha   Germany x x 62.50 62.50
30 A Daina Levy   Jamaica x 60.35 x 60.35
31 B Nataliya Zolotukhina   Ukraine 56.60 x 56.96 56.96
32 B Yirisleydi Ford   Cuba 10.91 x x 10.91

Final

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Rank Athlete Nationality #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 Result Notes
  Anita Włodarczyk   Poland 76.35 80.40 82.29 x 81.74 79.60 82.29 WR
  Zhang Wenxiu   China 75.06 74.04 76.19 74.65 76.75 70.93 76.75 SB
  Sophie Hitchon   Great Britain x 73.29 71.73 72.28 72.89 74.54 74.54 NR
4 Betty Heidler   Germany 71.38 69.24 69.84 72.71 73.71 x 73.71
5 Zalina Marghieva   Moldova 69.01 x 72.38 73.50 72.96 70.24 73.50
6 Amber Campbell   United States 68.18 68.85 70.20 70.57 72.74 71.09 72.74
7 Hanna Malyshchyk   Belarus 66.58 x 70.38 70.60 69.68 71.90 71.90
8 DeAnna Price   United States 68.12 x 70.95 x 61.95 69.18 70.95
9 Joanna Fiodorow   Poland 69.87 x 68.63 did not advance 69.87
10 Rosa Rodríguez   Venezuela 67.94 66.87 69.26 did not advance 69.26
11 Alexandra Tavernier   France x 65.18 x did not advance 65.18
Wang Zheng   China x x x did not advance NM

References

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  1. ^ "Women's Hammer Throw". Archived from the original on 2016-09-01. Retrieved 2016-09-11.
  2. ^ Landells, Steve (2016-08-07). Preview: women's hammer – Rio 2016 Olympic Games. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-08-12.
  3. ^ Tatyana Lysenko: Russian Olympic champion fails doping test. BBC Sport (2016-04-05). Retrieved on 2016-08-12.
  4. ^ senior outdoor 2016 Hammer Throw women. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-08-12.
  5. ^ Landells, Steve (2016-08-13). Report: women's hammer qualifying – Rio 2016 Olympic Games. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-08-13.
  6. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-08-20. Retrieved 2016-08-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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