DeAnna Price sets new American record

EUGENE, Ore. – DeAnna Price, a world champion and an Olympian, broke her own hammer throw American record not once but twice during the Olympic trials on Saturday. With an outstanding final round, Price threw a 79.98 meter toss for her third attempt and a booming 80.31 meter toss on her fifth attempt. 

“I threw over 80 meters. Oh my God. My mind… This is like mind blowing,” Price said. “Me throwing over 80 meters, this is pretty crazy.”

Price came to the trials holding both the American record, which she set in April, and the world lead, and then she broke the Trials record in qualifying.

She will be joined in Tokyo by Nike teammate Brooke Andersen who finished second with a throw of 77.72, and Gwen Berry who finished third with a throw of 73.50.

Price is now within two meters of the world record, 82.98 meters, which was set by two-time defending Olympic gold medalist Anita Włodarczyk in 2016.

“She is just this amazing athlete,” Price said. “Being in that territory is a true honor. The first time I met her was in 2015. She is genuinely a nice person.
Every time Price stepped in or out of the ring, her face was lit up by a smile that she said was both due to nerves and excitement. And after losing a family member to COVID, she said it meant the world to have loved ones, such as her grandfather, here in Eugene with her during the trials.

“I have such a fantastic family,” she said. “ I can smile in the ring and know it's not just me, it's us.”

Following her final throw, Price broke down into tears of happiness and celebration.

“We are all paving a way just to be better,” she said. “It's amazing, watching these throwers progress it gets better and better.”

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