A hammer thrower from Nanaimo reached the podium at the Commonwealth Games.
Ethan Katzberg, 20, threw the hammer a personal-best 76.36 metres on Saturday, Aug. 6, at the games in Birmingham, England, enough for a silver medal.
“I don’t think it’s set in yet … but I’m very happy that today went the way it did. It’s amazing,” Katzberg told Athletics Canada.
He said going into the competition, he knew a medal was a possibility as many of the top throwers in Birmingham were at a similar level.
“So I knew it just took a little bit extra to come out in medal position and I was fortunate enough to put it together and make it happen,” he said.
His silver-medal throw was more than two metres farther than his personal best, a new Canadian U23 record, and also farther than Katzberg thought was possible for him this season.
“Throwing 76, I didn’t think it was happening this year … I surpassed my expectations. It’s unreal,” he said.
England’s Nick Miller won gold with a throw just seven centimetres farther than Katzberg’s best. Alexandros Poursanidis of Cyprus won the bronze.
READ ALSO: Nanaimo hammer thrower breaks Canadian youth record
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