World champion DeAnna Price reacts after becoming first global medalist for U.S. women in the hammer throw. Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images for IAAF
DOHA, Qatar — Hammer thrower DeAnna Price let out a squeal as she ran from Khalifa International Stadium to the mixed zone, where athletes do post-competition interviews. The American flag was still wrapped around her back as she ran into the arms of familiar media faces.
“DeAnna, I kill you,” said hammer thrower Joanna Fiodorow of Poland. “I wait for 20 minutes. You talk too much.”
Price didn’t care. She was soaking in the moment that she brought the United States its first global medal in the women’s hammer throw. And it was a gold.
The American record holder won by over a meter with her winning throw of 254 feet, 4 inches. Fiodorow threw a personal best of 250-6 inches to secure the silver.
Zheng Wang of China, who had won 11 of her last 12 competitions, took the bronze at 245-3. U.S. thrower Gwen Berry, who had the third-best throw this season, scratched on all three of her attempts.
Price was focused. She did not even crack a smile as her competition finished throwing. It was not until Price threw the final throw of the competition that she fell to the ground of the cage in tears.
“I feel absolutely amazing having this chance and opportunity to compete for my country and being able to bring that gold medal home to my country and to my family and to my friends and to say, ‘You know, thank you,’” said Price, who is coached by her husband, James Lambert. “It’s not me, it’s we. We did this together.”
Although Price’s winning throw came in the third round, she would have won the event with her first throw at 252-2, which was better than eight of her 11 competitors’ personal bests.
“I knew it was a good throw,” Price said. “But I knew they could come up behind me. My husband, I got the first one off, and he’s like, ‘Go.’ He’s like, ‘Don’t stop. Keep going.’”
Price almost didn’t compete this season.
In May, she experienced a drop-off of 40 feet in her throws and could not throw over 70 meters. Price couldn’t find the source to her struggles and eventual pain.
“I was like, do I have mono? I was like, I’ve been married, so I’m sitting there thinking, ‘Am I pregnant?’” Price said. “It was like it’d be great, but at the same time, wrong time.”
None of the tests resulted in any leads.
Finally, her husband connected her with Cory Martin, head coach of Indiana University’s track team, who connected her with chiropractor Brian Murer, whom Price credits for saving her season. After practicing a variety of stretches and new training techniques, Price returned to her competitive form. She broke her own American record with a throw of 256-8 at the U.S. championships.
As Price left the media room, she read off the indicators to a successful meet that she had written on her wrist. Relax right arm. Walk straight back and keep head back on entry. And her most important indicator: who is she doing it for, why and what’s the purpose.
“The day I can’t answer those questions is the day that I retire from track and field,” Price said.
