Colorado hammer throw death: Tragedy as man killed after being struck in head at university athletics meet
Athletes, spectators and school officials have been left in shock after a man died in a tragic accident at a university athletics carnival.
The University of Colorado was hosting a youth track and field meet when a hammer throw competitor launched a wild shot into the crowd, striking a man in the head.
Despite officials at the Colorado Springs campus claiming appropriate safety measures were in place, the weighted apparatus managed to clear the barriers and hit the man.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Local emergency services rushed to the scene before fire and rescue teams pronounced the man dead.
According to local TV station KRDO-TV, the man shielded his wife and son from the hammer before being struck himself.
Authorities and the coroner’s office have not released the identify of the athlete.
It is believed the man killed was the father of a competitor for the Colorado United Track Club that hosted the event for high school-age athletes.
“We are heartbroken at this horrible accident and are focused on supporting all involved,” campus Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet said in a statement.
The equipment used in a hammer throw consists of a metal ball attached by a steel wire to a grip. Competitors make three full, quick turns of the body inside a 2.135m diameter circle before flinging the hammer as far as they can.
The average hammer throw distance for advanced athletes is between 70m-80m for men and 65m-75m for women.
The weight used is seven kilograms for men and four kilos for women in adult competition, according to the world governing body, World Athletics.
