DOHA, Qatar (SIU Media Services)Ìýâ€� Former Southern Illinois University track and field standout DeAnna Price has made US history as the first woman to take home gold in the hammer toss at the IAAF World Championships on Saturday.Ìý
Ìý
Price threw 254â€�-4" (77.54m) on her third attempt to secure the title. The Moscow Mills, Mo. native never trailed, as she took the early lead with her first toss of 252â€�-2" (76.87m), which would have stood as the farthest mark before Price’s two-foot improvement on her third attempt.ÌýÌý
Ìý
Price’s closest competitor was Joanna Fiodorow of Poland, who came just short of price with a toss of 250â€�-5" (76.35m). Price’s final mark of 254â€�-4" (77.54m) came within two feet of her current US record of 256â€�-8" (78.24m) set at the 2019 USATF Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Iowa.ÌýÌý
Ìý
With the gold medal already secured, Price decided to take her final throw and tossed for 248â€�-3" (75.68m) before falling to the ground and breaking out in tears of joy.ÌýJ.C. Lambert, SIU’s throws coach, coached Price during the World Championships and could be seen in the crowd gleaming with pride.Ìý
Ìý
Also competing in the IAAF World Championship women’s hammer toss was Gwen Berry, who finished her day with three-straight fouls.
