One of the hardest events in the sport of track and field are the throwing events.
It takes incredible strength, power, technique, footwork and mental fortitude to step in the ring and compete at the highest level. While throwers may not know what it’s like to run a marathon, or clear hurdles among other things, they experience and go through rigorous training to make sure that they’re at the top of their game each day, and they don’t fail to deliver incredible performances.
Having said all of that, the throws get overlooked and dare I say, disrespected.
While the reasons for this may vary, and lack of television and media coverage could very well be a major source for this, throwers are among the best athletes on the planet, and in the 2023 season, they delivered some jaw-dropping performances that will be talked about for years to come.
When Ryan Crouser steps into the shot put ring, the world record that he set is automatically in danger. At the Los Angeles Grand Prix, he broke his own world record, with his mark of 23.56m. He then went to the World Championships in Budapest and took home the shot put title, while dealing with blood clots in one of his legs. He has two Olympic gold medals, and will look to defend his title at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Laulauga Tausaga had a season to remember in 2023. She wasn’t the favorite to win the gold medal in the women’s discus at the World Championships in Budapest, but she didn’t let that stop her from delivering an incredible performance, pulling off the upset against a loaded field that included Valarie Allman. Her winning throw of 69.49m was also a new personal best for Tausaga.
If you want to know more about what makes the throws so difficult, as well as what throwers love to eat during the offseason, Kara Winger and I have you covered. At the Prefontaine Classic, we sought out answers to these questions from the world’s best throwers, and their answers might surprise you.
