Sophie Hitchon (born 11 July 1991) is a retired British hammer thrower. She is the British record-holder with a throw of 74.54 metres, set when winning the Olympic bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Games, Great Britain's first ever Olympic medal in the event. She also reached the hammer final at the 2012 London Olympics, and is the 2010 World Junior Champion, the 2013 European U23 Champion, and the 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist.
Early life Hitchon was born in Burnley, Lancashire, and attended Wellfield Church Primary School, Ivy Bank Business and Enterprise College and Thomas Whitham Sixth Form.Walker and Hitchon support Grass Roots Heroes awards Lancashire Telegraph Accessed 2011 She pursued a BSc in Business and Sport Management from the University of Hertfordshire. Hitchon practiced ballet between the ages of 4 and 14 and credits it for teaching dedication to sport.
Achievements In April 2007, Hitchon set a new UK Under 17 Women's record with a throw of 49.61m at the Kingston-upon-Hull AC Open meeting.British Athletics Official WebsiteAlex hammers home a Euro Juniors qualifier The previous record was 48.94m achieved by Frances Miller of Elgin Harriers at the 2001 IAAF World Youth Championships in Debrecen, Hungary.
In March 2008, at the age of 16, Hitchon set a new junior record with a throw of 59.74m at the UK Throws event in Birmingham, followed by a 59.49m throw at the Blackpool Open Meeting the same weekend.British Athletics Official WebsiteJunior Record for Sophie
In July 2009, Hitchon won bronze in the hammer at the European Junior Championships. In doing so she also improved her own national junior record to 63.18m and took Britain's first ever European Junior medal in the women's hammer.British Athletics Official WebsiteFour More Medals in Serbia
A year later, Hitchon was captain of the UK women's team at the IAAF World Junior Championships (Moncton, Canada, 19–25 July), as well as remaining the UK junior hammer record holder.British Athletics Official WebsiteStay calm and focused, says Hitchon
In July 2011, Hitchon represented the UK in the European Under-23 Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic (14–17 July),British Athletics Official WebsiteEuropean Under-23 Championships (3) taking the bronze medal.
At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Hitchon achieved a bronze medal in the women's Hammer throw with a distance of 68.72m. This was her first success at a senior level championship.
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Hitchon achieved a bronze medal in the women's hammer throw with a distance of 74.54 metres on her sixth and final attempt, setting a new GB record in the process. It also made her the first British hammer thrower to win an Olympic medal and ended a 28-year Olympic medal drought for GB in women's field events since Fatima Whitbread's silver at Seoul in 1988.
Hitchon announced her retirement in May 2021.
International competitions
Representing 2007World Youth ChampionshipsOstrava, Czech Republic 9th q50.28 mSophie Hitchon profile IAAF2008World Junior ChampionshipsBydgoszcz, Poland 7th58.45 m2009European Junior ChampionshipsNovi Sad, Serbia 3rd63.18 mSophie Hitchon profile thepowerof10.info2010World Junior ChampionshipsMoncton, Canada 1st66.01 m2011European U23 ChampionshipsOstrava, Czech Republic 3rd69.59 mBlackburn Harrier Sophie Hitchon breaks record again Lancashire Telegraph Accessed 2011World ChampionshipsDaegu, South Korea 13th q64.93 m2012Olympic GamesLondon, United Kingdom 12th69.33 min qualifying: 71.98m - New British Record2013European Team ChampionshipsGateshead, Kingdom 3rd72.97 m New British RecordEuropean U23 ChampionshipsTampere, Finland1st70.72 m2015World ChampionshipsBeijing, China4th73.86 m New British Record2016Olympic GamesRio de Janeiro, Brazil 3rd74.54 m New British Record2017World ChampionshipsLondon, United Kingdom7th72.32 m2018World CupLondon, United Kingdom2nd73.48 mEuropean ChampionshipsBerlin, Germany8th70.52 mRepresenting 2008Commonwealth Youth GamesPune, India 1st58.43 m2014Commonwealth GamesGlasgow, United Kingdom 3rd68.72 m2018Commonwealth GamesGold Coast, Australia—NM
q = in qualifying
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