According to officials at the university where the tournament was conducted, a spectator at a juvenile track and field meet in Colorado was killed when a contestant threw an incorrect weight in a hammer throw event.
According to a university statement, the weight struck the man Sunday morning at the University of Colorado’s Colorado Springs campus after passing through authorized obstacles.
At the scene, firefighters declared the individual deceased. According to KRDO-TV, he reportedly attempted to keep his wife and son away from the ball. In reality, a hefty ball on a chain serves as the “hammer” in the hammer throw competition.
Neither the athlete nor the man who was killed were identified by the authorities. According to the station, he was the father of a contestant for the Colorado United Track Club, which organized the competition for high school-aged athletes from all throughout the state.
Jennifer Sobanet, the campus chancellor, said in a statement, “We are devastated by this terrible accident and are committed to helping everyone involved.”
The international track and field governing organization, World Athletics, states that the weight used in the hammer throw competition is 16 pounds for men and 9 pounds for women in adult competition.
It is uncommon for track and field competitions to result in fatal incidents. In 2017, a student was murdered by a hammer during a track and field competition at Wheaton College in Illinois.
At the 2005 U.S. track and field championships in Los Angeles, an officiant was murdered when a shot put ball struck him during practice.
By Associated Press’s MEAD GRUVER
