EUGENE, Ore. (July 15, 2022) — Entering the 2022 World Athletics Championships with the world's best hammer throw this year, former Lumberjack Brooke Andersen needed just one attempt to secure her place in Sunday's final.
Andersen threw in Qualification Group B of the women's hammer throw Friday afternoon at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., hitting 74.37 meters on her first attempt of three to begin the championships. With marks of 73.50 meters guaranteeing athletes a place in Sunday's final round, Andersen opted out of her final two throws.
The throw ranks second overall entering the finals, with fellow Team USA member Janee Kassanavoid sitting atop the qualifying rankings with a throw of 74.46 meters, also achieved on her opening attempt. Kassanavoid ranks third in the world this season and second to only Andersen among those competing at Worlds.
Just four throwers hit the mark to move on to the finals, with next eight marks advancing to the final consisting of 12 throwers. All three American throwers advanced to the finals, with Annette Nneka Echikunwoke fifth at 72.60 meters.
Andersen's final is scheduled for 11:35 a.m. MST/2:35 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 17. Sunday's coverage of the 2022 Worlds is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. MST/2 to 4:30 p.m. EDT on NBC, as well as on the streaming service Peacock and the NBC Sports app.
On the men's side of the hammer throw, Andersen's former teammate Adam Keenan just missed qualifying for his final.
Throwing 74.38 meters on his opening throw, Keenan improved to 74.44 meters with his second attempt. The throw placed Keenan sixth in Qualifying Group A, just on the bubble to enter the final round. However, seven throwers bested Keenan's mark in Group B as Team USA's Alex Young just edged Keenan with a 74.67 mark on his opening throw to take the 12th and final place in the medal round. Chile's Humberto Mansilla jumped into 11th and past Keenan on his final throw of the day. Sitting at 74.39 meters after two attempts, Mansilla reached 75.33 meters on his last attempt to beat Keenan's 74.44-meter throw by less than three feet.
Keenan, Canada's national champion in hammer throw for the past five years, will now prepare to compete in the 2022 Commonwealth Games set to begin in England at the end of July.
