World T&F Championships: Camryn Rogers Ready to Battle for a Podium Finish

Hammer throw specialist from Cal hopes to improve on placing 5th at the Olympics.

At Tokyo last summer, Camryn Rogers finished fifth in the women’s hammer throw at the Olympic Games with a mark of 243 feet, 11 inches (74.35 meters). It was a breakthrough moment in the young career of the Cal star from Canada.

That throw would rank just 11th in the world this year.

That’s the reality that prompts Rogers’ coach, Cal assistant Mo Saatara, to suggest, “This World Championships is going to be more competitive than the Olympics.”

Rogers, now 23 and having completed her Cal outdoor track and field career this spring with her third straight victory at the NCAA championships, will tackle that more ferocious landscape beginning Friday when the World Championships get under way at Eugene, Oregon.

The event’s preliminary round is Friday with the finals set for Sunday.

Rogers arrives at Hayward Field — the site of her victories in the Pac-12 and NCAA meets this season — ranked No. 4 on the 2022 world list. Her mark of 254-10 (73.97 meters) would have won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

“Obviously, Camryn’s grown a bit since last summer — her performances have gone up significantly,” Saatara says in the video above, alluding to the fact that she has thrown 12 feet farther than she did at Tokyo. “I think the other women have also developed very strongly. There’s a lot of great competitors in the field.

“We have a very big job ahead of us. We want to make sure we’re competitive and ready to be able to get in the mix and make some waves.”

One formidable athlete who won’t be there is Poland’s Anita Wlodarczyk, 36, the three-time reigning Olympic champion and four-time world champ who owns the six longest throws in history and 15 of the top 16.

Wlodarczyk, whose world record of 272-3 (82.98) is nearly nine feet farther than anyone else has thrown, is out for the season after surgery to repair a muscle injury she suffered in June while chasing (and apprehending) someone who was breaking into her car.

Wlodarczyk’s absence means Rogers has the third-longest throw of anyone in the field.

The favorite may be 2022 world leader Brooke Andersen, a 26-year-old American, who finished second at the 2018 NCAA meet while representing Northern Arizona. The San Diego native finished 10th at the Tokyo Olympics with a throw of 236-9 (72.16) but unleashed an effort of 259-3 (79.02) in Tucson in late April, soaring to No. 4 on the all-time list.

“The United States women are quite strong and it’s on the homeland,” Saatara said, alluding to the four-woman USA contingent including Andersen and Janee’ Kassanavoid, 27, whose mark of 255-11 (78.00) is No. 3 in the world this season and No. 6 all-time.

Also a factor is DeAnna Price, who won the 2019 World Championships and set the American record of 263-6 (80.31) at last year’s Olympic trials before battling an ankle injury and finishing eighth at Tokyo. The 29-year-old ranks just 18th in the world this season with a best of 239-8 (73.07) but she joins Wlodarczyk as the only women to reach 80 meters.

Camryn Rogers at Hayward Field in 2021 / Photo courtesy of Cal Athletics

Saatara believes Rogers’ familiarity with the facility at Hayward Field provide her an edge, but knows that’s not enough.

“You never take anything for granted in terms of competitions of that nature. She feels comfortable in Eugene — we’ve been up there enough times,” he said. “Our mindset is always don’t take anything for granted and go there to be prepared to be at your maximum abilities and performance.”

Performing at peak level was Rogers’ hallmark throughout her Cal career. She recorded the 11 longest throws in college history and was unbeaten against collegiate competition for more than three years.

“She’s done a magnificent job. You can see what she’s done. She’s been an exceptional student-athlete . . . really worked very well,” Saatara says in the video at the top of the story. “Not just working hard — everybody works hard at this level.

“But the quality of work that she’s put in is something to really take notice of. Over a long period of time she’s put that together and that’s been really wonderful to see and be part of.”

Cover photo of Camryn Rogers at the Tokyo Olympics by Kirby Lee, USA Today

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo