Hammer Throw, Women

Poland’s Anita Włodarczyk came to Rio as an overwhelming favorite. She was the defending champion, had been World Champion in 2009 and 2015, and had won the last three European Championships. She had also been world ranked #1 for the last three years, and had set five world records since 2009. Włodarczyk gave a hint of what was to come by throwing 76.93 in qualifying, the longest qualifying throw ever. In the final China’s Zhang Wenxiu took the lead early in the first round with 75.06. She would later improve to 76.19 in round three and 76.75 in round five and was a comfortable silver medal winner.

Włodarczyk took over the lead with her first round throw of 76.35. In round two she broke the Olympic record with 80.40 and then in round three broke her own world record with 82.29. Her 81.74 in the fifth stanza made her the first female hammer thrower with three marks over 80 metres in one competition, and she just missed a fourth, throwing 79.60 in the final round. Two weeks after the Olympics Włodarczyk would again better the world record, throwing 82.98 at a meet in Warszawa.