Rowan Hamilton of Chilliwack, British Columbia won the gold medal in the men’s hammer throw at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on Wednesday. Hamilton was representing the University of California, and became the first hammer thrower from the University of California since 1922 to win gold at the NCAA Track and Field Championships.
Hamilton had a throw of 77.18 metres. Kenneth Ikeji of Great Britain, representing Harvard University, won the silver medal with a throw of 77.12 metres. Angelos Mantzouranis of Greece, who is representing the University of Minnesota, won the bronze medal with a throw of 75.5 metres. Hamilton reached the podium by 1.89 metres as Israel Oloyede of the United States had a fourth place throw of 75.29 metres. Oloyede attends Grand Canyon University.
Hamilton’s throw of 77.18 metres was a personal best. His previous personal best was 77.16 metres when he won gold at the 2024 Mount San Antonio College Relays in Walnut, California on April 20.
Even though Hamilton is the best Canadian men’s hammer thrower at the American university level, he is not the best in Canada at the moment. That accolade belongs to world champion Ethan Katzberg of Nanaimo, British Columbia, who set the Canadian record in the men’s hammer throw with a throw of 84.38 metres at the 2024 Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi, Kenya on April 20.