The women's hammer throw competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The event was held at the Olympic Stadium on 12–15 August. Each athlete received three throws in the qualifying round. All who achieved the qualifying distance progressed to the final. Each finalist was allowed three throws in last round, with the top eight athletes after that point being given three further attempts.
The winning margin was a huge 5.54 metres which with the conclusion of the 2024 Paris Olympics remains the only time the women's hammer has been won by more than two metres at the Olympics.
Summary Anita Włodarczyk, the reigning World Champion and European Champion, was one of the stand-out gold medal favourites in the Olympic athletics programme, given that she held all ten of the best throws that year and a season's best of 80.26 m – the third best ever. The next best thrower that season was almost five metres behind on the rankings: Betty Heidler was the European runner-up. China's Zhang Wenxiu and Wang Zheng were the next highest ranked.Landells, Steve (2016-08-07). Preview: women's hammer – Rio 2016 Olympic Games. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-08-12.Tatyana Lysenko: Russian Olympic champion fails doping test. BBC Sport (2016-04-05). Retrieved on 2016-08-12.senior outdoor 2016 Hammer Throw women. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-08-12.
Włodarczyk continued her unbeaten streak since 2014 to top qualifying in 76.93 m. Zhang was second best in the round and Rosa Rodríguez of Venezuela was a surprise third automatic qualifier. The top-ranked athletes progressed, though non threw beyond 72 metres. Hanna Skydan of Azerbaijan and American Gwen Berry were the most significant of the eliminated athletes.Landells, Steve (2016-08-13). Report: women's hammer qualifying – Rio 2016 Olympic Games. IAAF. Retrieved on 2016-08-13.
In the final, Włodarczyk assumed the lead with her first throw of 76.35 m, ahead of Zhang's 75.06 m and Heidler holding bronze position with 71.38 m. The second round saw Sophie Hitchon move into bronze position with a 73.29 m. On the next throw, Włodarczyk improved her position with an 80.40 m, that nobody would match. In the third round Zhang improved and so did Włodarczyk in a big way. Her third throw was a new world record. Her mark improved upon her own previous world record by 1.21 m and was 2.87 m (over 9 feet) further than any other woman (Heidler) has ever thrown. It was Włodarczyk's sixth world record and the fourth in succession since August 2014. In the fourth round Zalina Marghieva moved into bronze position with her best throw of 73.50 m. The fifth round saw Heidler edge back into bronze position with a 73.71 m, then Zhang solidified her silver position with her best throw of 76.75 m and Włodarczyk threw 81.74 m, only the second best throw in history to her third round throw. On her final throw, Hitchon leapfrogged back into the bronze medal with a 74.54 m British National Record.
The medals were presented by Irena Szewińska, IOC member, Poland and Svein Arne Hansen, Council Member of the IAAF.
Two weeks after the Olympics, Włodarczyk improved the world record again out to .
Schedule All times are Brasília Time (UTC−3).
Date Time RoundFriday, 12 August 2016 20:40QualificationsMonday, 15 August 2016 10:40Finals
Records , the existing World and Olympic records were as follows.
World record81.08 mWładysławowo, Poland1 August 2015Olympic record77.60 mLondon, United Kingdom11 August 20122016 World leading80.26 mCetniewo, Poland12 July 2016
The following records were established during the competition:
Date Event Name Nationality Distance Record 16 August Final Anita Włodarczyk 80.40 m 16 August Final Anita Włodarczyk 82.29 m
The following national records were established during the competition:
Country Athlete Round Distance Notes Poland Final 82.29 m , , Great Britain Final 74.54 m
Results Qualification Qualification rule: qualification standard 72.00 m (Q) or at least best 12 qualified (q).
Rank Group Name Nationality #1 #2 #3 Result Notes 1 A Anita Włodarczyk 76.93 76.93 2 B Zhang Wenxiu x 70.72 73.58 73.58 3 A Rosa Rodriguez x 69.34 72.41 72.41 , 4 B Joanna Fiodorow 71.77 71.59 69.29 71.77 5 A Zalina Marghieva 68.80 71.72 70.90 71.72 6 B Betty Heidler 71.17 66.62 68.60 71.17 7 B Hanna Malyshchyk x 64.69 71.12 71.12 8 B Amber Campbell 71.09 x x 71.09 9 A DeAnna Price 69.25 69.52 70.79 70.79 10 A Wang Zheng 68.91 70.60 x 70.60 11 B Sophie Hitchon x 70.37 68.68 70.37 12 A Alexandra Tavernier x 68.42 70.30 70.30 13 B Hanna Skydan 67.05 68.98 70.09 70.09 14 A Gwen Berry 68.07 x 69.90 69.90 15 B Malwina Kopron 69.31 69.69 x 69.69 16 A Liu Tingting 67.40 69.14 63.35 69.14 17 A Katerina Safrankova 66.52 68.33 65.30 68.33 18 B Kathrin Klaas 67.92 64.89 67.01 67.92 19 A Martina Hrasnova 67.63 66.10 64.32 67.63 20 A Alena Sobaleva x 66.71 67.06 67.06 21 B Tuğçe Şahutoğlu 65.47 67.05 61.92 67.05 22 A Iryna Novozhylova 66.70 x 65.15 66.70 23 A Heather Steacy 66.01 x 63.78 66.01 24 B Marina Marghieva-Nikisenko 65.19 63.82 65.10 65.19 25 B Amy Sene 64.83 x 60.91 64.83 26 A Kıvılcım Kaya Salman x x 64.79 64.79 27 B Jennifer Dahlgren 63.03 x x 63.03 28 B Iryna Klymets 62.00 x 62.75 62.75 29 A Charlene Woitha x x 62.50 62.50 30 A Daina Levy x 60.35 x 60.35 31 B Nataliya Zolotukhina 56.60 x 56.96 56.96 32 B Yirisleydi Ford 10.91 x x 10.91
Final Rank Athlete Nationality #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 Result Notes Anita Włodarczyk 76.35 80.40 82.29 81.74 79.60 82.29 Zhang Wenxiu 75.06 74.04 76.19 74.65 76.75 70.93 76.75 Sophie Hitchon 73.29 71.73 72.28 72.89 74.54 74.54 Betty Heidler 71.38 69.24 69.84 72.71 73.71 73.71 Zalina Marghieva 69.01 72.38 73.50 72.96 70.24 73.50 Amber Campbell 68.18 68.85 70.20 70.57 72.74 71.09 72.74 Hanna Malyshchyk 66.58 70.38 70.60 69.68 71.90 71.90 DeAnna Price 68.12 70.95 61.95 69.18 70.95 Joanna Fiodorow 69.87 68.63 did not advance 69.87 10 Rosa Rodríguez 67.94 66.87 69.26 did not advance 69.26 11 Alexandra Tavernier 65.18 did not advance 65.18 Wang Zheng did not advance
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