Former Loughborough College sport student Sophie Hitchon became the first British athlete in history to win an Olympic hammer throw medal after smashing a dramatic new personal best with her last attempt to put her on the podium in Rio.
After a no throw, the 25 year old British record holder went into medal contention with 73.29m from her second attempt. She was then knocked out of the top three in the fourth round – before her last throw of 74.54 became a British record and secured former student Hitchon her historic bronze medal, sparking huge celebrations.
Hitchon’s bronze was Team GB’s fourth medal won in track and field in Rio after the gold, silver and bronze won by Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis-Hill and Greg Rutherford on Saturday.
“I can believe it a little bit because training has been going so well but to do it in competition is a little bit different. I knew it was there if I pulled together and it is a bit special,” said Hitchon.
“I wanted to keep my mind quiet [going into the last round] and execute my technique, I have done it again, again and again in training but to do it in competition is a little bit different.
“I didn’t think I had done enough in the second round, I knew the girls could throw further than that and I would never rest on a throw, I always want to push for more.
“I don’t think about the history of it going into it. I still think my fourth and fifth rounds were a little bit shaky, I knew I wasn’t quite pulling it together and I knew if I could pull it together it was going to go far, I just kept believing that.”