Team Canada showcases strong performances at Prefontaine Classic
It was a banner weekend for Team Canada athletes at the legendary track and field venue of Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon for the 50th anniversary of the Prefontaine Classic. Once again, Canada demonstrated itself to be a “big throws nation.”
The Canadian results were led by Paris 2024 Olympic champion hammer thrower Camryn Rogers, who established a new Canadian record and Diamond League record of 78.88m. American Brooke Anderson took silver at the Pre Classic with a best throw of 76.95m, followed by fellow American DeAnna Price (75.35m) in the bronze position.
Rogers threw 76.97m at Paris 2024 to take the Olympic gold medal. She had last set the Canadian record at 78.62m in May 2023.
But Rogers wasn’t the only Canadian hammer thrower to make a mark at Hayward Field. Fellow Paris 2024 Olympic champion Ethan Katzberg took silver at the Pre Classic, throwing to a distance of 81.73m.
“Right now is a very heavy training block, coming out of the European season. I’m happy to throw 81.73, it was a good result for where I am at right now, but I definitely want to get some time into training and build into the rest of the season,” said Katzberg.
Katzberg was joined on the podium by American Rudy Winkler (83.16m) in the top spot, and Ukraine’s Mykhaylo Kokhan (79.27m) in bronze. Team Canada’s Rowan Hamilton finished seventh, with a best throw of 76.36m.
Beyond the hammer throw circle, Team Canada’s Sarah Mitton found the podium in the women’s shot put with her best throw of the 2025 outdoor season. Mitton threw to 20.39m to take silver, narrowly beaten out by American Chase Jackson’s 20.94m throw. American Jaida Ross rounded out the podium with a 20.13m throw for bronze.
“We’ve seen the men’s shot put kind of go off over the last few years and I think that really starts to build up and you want to be a part of that. Everyone starts to throw further, I think in every event it’s starting to be just a bunch of people who can do that and everyone’s having to level up in order to do it, which is really cool,” Mitton said post-competition.
“We just want to be a part of something, and the group of us are really pushing that forward in Canada and we’re just kind of showing the world that Canada is a throwing nation.”
