Averill Park graduate Winkler competing again in hammer throw
Rudy Winkler competes in the men's hammer throw final during the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Team Trials, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo / George Walker IV)
This is the third Olympics for Averill Park graduate Rudy Winkler.
Winkler is competing in the men’s hammer throw.
Winkler finished in the top three of the U.S. Olympic trials in June. The former NewsChannel 13 Athlete of the Week is a two-time national champion. He placed seventh at the Olympics in Tokyo. He has had some injuries, but said he now feels healthy and ready to make a run for a medal.
“(In) 2021, I went into it knowing that I had a chance to throw the American record and I wanted to do that, so we kind of tailored my training a bit more around the trials to be able to do that,” he said. “Whereas now it was more about just qualifying for the team and then we can start peaking for the games after that, so this is definitely the best shape I’ve ever been in,” he said.
The qualification round for the men’s hammer throw is Aug. 2 and the finals are on Aug. 4.
Good luck to Rudy.