Canadian Under-23 men’s hammer throw record holder and collegiate leader returns to Eugene for first time since achieving personal-best 249-3 (75.98m) in May at Oregon Twilight, looking forward to competing against global elite

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

Rowan Hamilton sat down in September with University of British Columbia throws coach Garrett Collier and wrote out their goals for the upcoming track and field season.

Among the aspirations for the reigning NAIA hammer throw champion representing the Thunderbirds’ program in Vancouver was a slightly larger ambition than the rest: make the Canadian World Team.

With eyes on Eugene, Ore., the host city for the World Athletics Championships, it seemed only fitting that Hamilton’s pursuit of making the team became much more of a reality the first time he competed at the new Hayward Field.

Hamilton, 22, won the event May 6 at the Oregon Twilight meet with a collegiate-leading hammer throw and Canadian Under-23 record of 249 feet, 3 inches (75.98m).

“The first time I actually really felt like (my goal) was going to be something that was quite attainable was actually after competing at Hayward Field and throwing my personal best,” Hamilton said. “After that meet, I felt like this was something that could happen for me as long as I kept consistent.”

Following a spring season going undefeated in the hammer, culminating in his second NAIA championship May 25 in Gulf Shores, Ala., with a mark of 243-6 (74.21m), Hamilton was one of 59 athletes selected to the Canadian roster, which also includes Adam Keenan in the men’s hammer throw, as well as Camryn Rogers and Jillian Weir in the women’s hammer throw.

Hamilton will make his return Friday to Hayward Field to compete in the qualifying round at the World Athletics Championships and see what he can accomplish. He needs to place among the top 12 competitors in order to return for Saturday’s final, with the automatic qualifying mark set at 254-3 (77.50m).

“I’m so excited it’s happening in Eugene,” Hamilton said. “I’m just getting ready for a good competition and getting ready to compete against the world's best.”

The buildup to the Worlds for Hamilton has been years in the making, and one he thought might have come sooner.

In 2019 as a freshman at British Columbia, Hamilton claimed his first NAIA title at 208-4 (63.50m), won the Canadian U-20 Championships, and captured the gold medal at the PanAm U-20 Championships in Costa Rica, with a national U-20 record of 247-2 (75.35m).

The COVID-19 pandemic halted international competition for Canadian athletes for the next two years, as Hamilton used that period of time to dial in on his training and techniques, preparing for when the opportunities did return.

“I thought I would have gone to a World University Games by now, but those have been canceled, but it was definitely worth the wait and just keeping focused on training and not letting that dedication fall away from me,” Hamilton said. “It’s quite the reward after a long time of hard work.”

Hamilton placed third June 25 with a 222-9 (67.91m) effort at the Bell Canadian Track and Field Championships in Langley, British Columbia, and had to wait a few days to find out if he was going to be selected to the Canadian roster.

Once he did, he was back to work. Hamilton took part July 2 in the Pre-Worlds Invitational in Edmonton, throwing 237 feet (72.24m). Since then, he’s been in Langley at a team training camp preparing for Worlds.

“It’s been so exciting to get back and be on a national team again,” Hamilton said. “I’m reminded of how fun it is to be with other fellow athletes, especially throwers who have the same goals and ambitions as me.”

Among them is Rogers, a graduate student-athlete at Cal Berkeley, who captured her third consecutive NCAA Division 1 hammer throw title June 9 at Hayward Field.

Rogers, the collegiate and Canadian record holder along with the No. 9 all-time female competitor at 254-10 (77.67m), also hails from British Columbia.

“It’s pretty cool, especially since we’re both from B.C., and as I’m learning, B.C. kind of has a reputation for hammer throw now, across the country,” Hamilton said. “It goes to show what we’re doing here in B.C. has been working for us. It’s been so exciting, especially to be able to watch Camryn at the level she’s at is pretty amazing. I’m also so excited I’ll get to be there for her competition at Worlds, and hopefully see some pretty amazing performances.”

Both Rogers and Hamilton finished the spring outdoor season as the top collegiate hammer throwers across all divisions.

“Rowan is such a wonderful human being and I could not be happier that we’re both going to be on this team going to Worlds together, as well as Jillian and Adam. All of us have had lifetime bests this year and are going into Worlds so excited and ready to perform,” Rogers said. “Especially for Rowan and I being able to do it at Hayward prior to Canadian nationals and knowing we get to come back and do it again and experience that same wave of excitement and energy … just knowing that we will be on that field and in that field of competitors, and we have such a strong group of Canadian hammer throwers, we all want to leave a mark at Hayward.”

Hamilton, who stands 6 feet 3, enters his first senior global competition as one of the youngest in the field. Keenan, 28, is the top Canadian entry in the men’s competition at 254-4 (77.54m), which ranks No. 17 in the world this year, with Hamilton at 28th overall.

Qualifying rounds in the hammer throw for both genders are Friday, with the men’s final scheduled for Saturday and women’s championship Sunday, all inside the stadium at Hayward Field.

“I’m excited about the timing of it,” Hamilton said. “I’ll get there, I’ll still be pretty fresh, I won’t be in that environment for very long before competition, which for me is the first time I’ve been to the World Championships, so I don’t really know what to expect when I get down there, but I know it’s going to be really busy, so I’m happy. I get in, I get a training day and I get to focus on getting ready for the qualifications.”

This will also be the first competition since 2019 for Hamilton where he isn’t guaranteed all six throws. Hamilton, who is also set to compete Aug. 2-7 in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, said he’s coming to make the most of this experience and let the magic of Hayward Field help him produce another big-time performance.

“I haven’t been to a competition where I haven’t gotten all six throws since 2019, so it’s going to be an experience really trying to push myself in the first three to get a throw that’s far enough to make the finals,” Hamilton said. “Hopefully I’ll use the energy of Hayward Field and being on the infield to really get that out earlier than I'm used to. It’s going to be something new for me and something I’m looking forward to.”