Two American Olympians will be part of the festivities Saturday at a meet and demonstration featuring hammer throwers at Hammerman Field, 485 Crane Ave. in Aurora.
Kibwe Johnson, a two-time Olympian and Pan American Games champion, from Sarasota, Florida, and Gwen Berry, a 2016 Olympian and member of the 2019 USA World Championship team, from Houston, will demonstrate the hammer throw and hand out awards to winners of the meet.
In addition, Johnson and Berry will give a hammer throw instructional clinic.
“This is kind of a big deal,” said Jim Coxworth, owner of Hammerman Field and an organizer of the throwers meets throughout the summer. “It’s not too often Aurora gets two Olympians in town.”
Coxworth developed Hammerman Field to popularize the sport of hammer throwing, one of the field activities competed at the college level. The field also is used for other throwing sports, such as the javeline, discus and shot put.
But Coxworth developed Hammerman Field, as well as instructional and competitive programs there, to draw attention and teach the hammer throw. Because of potential dangers, both the hammer throw and javelin are not competed in high school. But they are in college track meets, which means there are college scholarships available for the sports.
Coxworth wants to train athletes who might want to compete at the college level, as well as just bring more attention to the sport. Coxworth himself competed in the hammer throw at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.
All summer, he has had meets at Hammerman Field, as well as hosted groups interested in trying the hammer throw through field trips from camps and schools.
“I’m trying my best to popularize the sport,” Coxworth said.
He had as many as 40 athletes competing in four throwers league meets this summer. He said with school starting, he expects between 25 and 30 to compete Saturday in the fifth and final meet. Winners will be crowned at the end Saturday based on the outcome of the five league events.
The gates open at 8:30 a.m., and between 9 and 10 a.m., Johnson and Berry will give their instructional clinic. The competition begins at 10 a.m.
The schedule for the competitions is: 10 to 11 a.m., shot put; 11 a.m. to noon, javelin; noon to 1 p.m., discus; and from 1 to 2 p.m., the hammer throw.
At 2 p.m., Johnson and Berry will stage a “Battle of the Sexes” competition for the bragging rights of Hammerman Field. At 2:30 p.m. Johnson will crown the boys winners, and Berry will crown the girls winners.
There will be a food truck between noon and 2 p.m., and spectators should bring their own chairs for lawn seating.
People will have a chance to talk to the two Olympians, get autographs and photos with them. Coxworth called it a rare chance to talk with and see “two of America’s greatest hammer throwers.”
slord@tribpub.com
