Kassanavoid revelling in rare hammer limelight

BUDAPEST : It is not often – make that never – that the hammer throw is considered top of the bill at a major athletics event but this world championships is taking place in Hungary, where hurling a lump of iron 80 metres is held in the highest of esteem.

The promotional poster for the championships features a hammer thrower in action, while seven of the host nation's 14 world medals have come in hammer, with Bence Halasz probably their best hope for a podium in Budapest.

The women's event, however, has a decidedly north American feel after decades of domination by eastern Europe, Cuba and China.

Having never medalled in the first 10 editions after the hammer was added in 1999, DeAnna Price jumped straight in for the United States with gold in 2019 and Brooke Andersen repeated the deal last year, with Janee Kassanavoid taking bronze.

Six of the top seven in the world this year are American, with only Canada’s Eugene silver medallist Camryn Rogers spoiling the sweep.

Kassanavoid is hoping to move up a couple of steps this week and said she can't wait to compete in front of a 30,000-crowd who won't consider her event a mere distraction to what's happening on the track.

"I'm excited and I want to put on a show. It's super-important to come to a country that appreciates and respects hammer," Kassanavoid told a news conference on Friday. "Flying into the airport and seeing women's hammer front and centre was super-awesome and super-empowering."

Kassanavoid also takes "empowerment" from her position as the first Native American to win a world championship medal, and became tearful when talking about what it meant to her.

"As a member of the Comanche people it says "we are still here today', and our history is very sentimental to me,"