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Sophie Hitchon

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Sophie Hitchon
Hitchon after winning the bronze medal at Rio 2016
Personal information
Born (1991-07-11) 11 July 1991 (age 33)
Burnley, Lancashire, England
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight74 kg (163 lb)
Sport
Country United Kingdom
SportAthletics
EventHammer throw
Medal record
Representing  Great Britain
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Hammer
World Hammer Challenge
Silver medal – second place 2016 Hammer
Athletics World Cup
Silver medal – second place 2018 London Hammer
European U23 Championships
Gold medal – first place 2013 Tampere Hammer
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Ostrava Hammer
European U23 Throwing Cup
Silver medal – second place 2011 Sofia Hammer
World Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2010 Moncton Hammer
European Junior Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Novi Sad Hammer
Representing  England
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Glasgow Hammer
Commonwealth Youth Games
Gold medal – first place 2008 Pune Hammer
Updated on 15 August 2022

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.[1] She is studying for a BSc in Business and Sport Management from the University of Hertfordshire.[2] Hitchon practiced ballet between the ages of 4 and 14 and credits it for teaching dedication to sport.[3]

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.[4] The previous record was 48.94m achieved by Frances Miller[5] 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.[6]

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.[7]

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.[8]

In July 2011, Hitchon represented the UK in the European Under-23 Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic (14–17 July),[9] 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.[10]

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 final attempt, setting a new GB record in the process. It also made her the first British hammer thrower to win an Olympic medal[11] 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.[12]

International competitions

Year Competition Venue Position Notes
Representing  Great Britain
2007 World Youth Championships Ostrava, Czech Republic 9th q 50.28 m[13]
2008 World Junior Championships Bydgoszcz, Poland 7th 58.45 m[14]
2009 European Junior Championships Novi Sad, Serbia 3rd 63.18 m[15]
2010 World Junior Championships Moncton, Canada 1st 66.01 m[16]
2011 European U23 Championships Ostrava, Czech Republic 3rd 69.59 m[17]
World Championships Daegu, South Korea 13th q 64.93 m[13]
2012 Olympic Games London, United Kingdom 12th 69.33 m[13]
in qualifying: 71.98m - New British Record[13]
2013 European Team Championships Gateshead, Kingdom 3rd 72.97 m New British Record[13]
European U23 Championships Tampere, Finland 1st 70.72 m
2015 World Championships Beijing, China 4th 73.86 m New British Record[13]
2016 Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 3rd 74.54 m New British Record[13]
2017 World Championships London, United Kingdom 7th 72.32 m
2018 World Cup London, United Kingdom 2nd 73.48 m
European Championships Berlin, Germany 8th 70.52 m
Representing  England
2008 Commonwealth Youth Games Pune, India 1st 58.43 m[15]
2014 Commonwealth Games Glasgow, United Kingdom 3rd 68.72 m[15]
2018 Commonwealth Games Gold Coast, Australia — NM
  • q = in qualifying

References

  1. ^ Walker and Hitchon support Grass Roots Heroes awards Lancashire Telegraph Accessed 2011
  2. ^ "Olympic medallist joins The University of Hertfordshire". University of Hertfordshire. University of Hertfordshire. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  3. ^ Poole, Harry. "Rio 2016: Team GB's Sophie Hitchon on her journey to the Olympics". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  4. ^ British Athletics Official WebsiteAlex hammers home a Euro Juniors qualifier
  5. ^ "Frances MILLER | Profile | World Athletics".
  6. ^ British Athletics Official WebsiteJunior Record for Sophie
  7. ^ British Athletics Official WebsiteFour More Medals in Serbia
  8. ^ British Athletics Official WebsiteStay calm and focused, says Hitchon
  9. ^ British Athletics Official WebsiteEuropean Under-23 Championships (3)
  10. ^ "Glasgow 2014: Sophie Hitchon hopes to follow up hammer bronze". BBC Sport. 30 July 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  11. ^ "Rio Olympics 2016: Hitchon wins Britain's first". BBC Sport. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  12. ^ "Sophie Hitchon: Britain's Rio Olympics hammer bronze medallist retires". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g Sophie Hitchon profile IAAF
  14. ^ "Nelson secures 100m Silver in Poland".
  15. ^ a b c Sophie Hitchon profile thepowerof10.info
  16. ^ "UKA IAAF World Juniors (10)". www.uka.org.uk. Archived from the original on 21 June 2012.
  17. ^ Blackburn Harrier Sophie Hitchon breaks record again Lancashire Telegraph Accessed 2011
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