Saturday 4th November 2023.- The hammer throw event at Santiago 2023 crowned Canadian athlete Ethan Katzberg with the gold medal and a new Pan American record of 80.96 meters. The competition took place in front of 40,000 spectators at the Estadio Nacional.

The previous Pan American record was held by American athlete Johnson Kibwe, who achieved a distance of 79.63 meters in Guadalajara 2011.

The competition brought together four top 10 athletes in the world rankings: Katzberg, who is ranked second, American athletes Rudy Winkler (3rd) and Daniel Haugh (8th), and Chilean athlete Gabriel Kehr (10th).

Katzberg is also the reigning champion in the hammer throw after his victory at the recent World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, last August.

The event showcased the high quality of the competitors. Katzberg achieved a throw of 80.96 meters to claim the gold medal. The silver medal went to American athlete Daniel Haugh, with his best attempt of 77.62 meters in the sixth round, while the bronze was earned by his compatriot Rudy Winkler, who recorded a distance of 76.65 meters in his fifth throw.

Chilean athletes Humberto Mansilla and Gabriel Hehr finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the final standings. Mansilla achieved a best throw of 74.35 meters in his sixth attempt, while Hehr recorded a distance of 74.32 meters in his second throw.

Written by Ernesto Bustos B – Rodrigo Gómez; translated by Paulette Bertín / Photosport
Photo by Jonnathan Oyarzun/Santiago 2023 / Photosport