Sophie Hitchon
{{short description|British hammer thrower}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| image = SophieHitchonJORio2016.jpg
| image_size = 270px
| caption = Hitchon after winning the bronze medal at Rio 2016
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1991|7|11}}
| birth_place = Burnley, Lancashire, England
| height ={{height|m=1.70}}
| weight ={{convert|74|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
| country = {{GBR}}
| sport =Athletics
| event =Hammer throw
| coach =
| highestranking =
| pb =
| medaltemplates =
{{Medal|Country| {{GBR2}} }}
{{Medal|Olympics}}
{{Medal|Bronze|2016 Rio de Janeiro|Hammer}}
{{Medal|Competition|World Hammer Challenge}}
{{Medal|Silver| 2016|Hammer}}
{{Medal|Competition|Athletics World Cup}}
{{Medal|Silver| 2018 London|Hammer}}
{{Medal|Competition|European U23 Championships}}
{{Medal|Gold| 2013 Tampere|Hammer}}
{{Medal|Bronze |2011 Ostrava | Hammer}}
{{Medal|Competition|European U23 Throwing Cup}}
{{Medal|Silver| 2011 Sofia|Hammer}}
{{Medal|Competition|World Junior Championships}}
{{Medal|Gold |2010 Moncton | Hammer}}
{{Medal|Competition|European Junior Championships}}
{{Medal|Bronze |2009 Novi Sad | Hammer}}
{{Medal|Country| {{ENG}} }}
{{Medal|Competition|Commonwealth Games}}
{{Medal|Bronze |2014 Glasgow | Hammer }}
{{Medal|Competition|Commonwealth Youth Games}}
{{Medal|Gold |2008 Pune | Hammer}}
| updated = 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.[http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/archive/2011/04/19/Grass+Roots+Awards/8982113.Walker_and_Hitchon_support_Grass_Roots_Heroes_awards/ Walker and Hitchon support Grass Roots Heroes awards] Lancashire Telegraph Accessed 2011 She pursued a BSc in Business and Sport Management from the University of Hertfordshire.{{cite web|title=Olympic medallist joins The University of Hertfordshire|url=http://www.herts.ac.uk/about-us/news/2016/october/olympic-medallist-joins-the-university-of-hertfordshire|website=University of Hertfordshire|publisher=University of Hertfordshire|accessdate=10 October 2016}} Hitchon practiced ballet between the ages of 4 and 14 and credits it for teaching dedication to sport.{{cite news |last1=Poole |first1=Harry |title=Rio 2016: Team GB's Sophie Hitchon on her journey to the Olympics |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/36884140 |access-date=26 May 2021}}
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.[http://www.uka.org.uk/media/news/april-2007/article-13/?locale=en British Athletics Official WebsiteAlex hammers home a Euro Juniors qualifier]
The previous record was 48.94m achieved by Frances Miller{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/great-britain-ni/frances-miller-14275803|title = Frances MILLER | Profile | World Athletics}} 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.[http://www.uka.org.uk/media/news/march-2008/19-03-08-hitchon-record/?locale=en British Athletics Official WebsiteJunior Record for Sophie]
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.[http://www.uka.org.uk/media/news/july-2009/24-07-09-euro-juniors-4/?locale=en British Athletics Official WebsiteFour More Medals in Serbia]
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.[http://www.uka.org.uk/media/news/july-2010/17-07-10-juniors-preview/?locale=en British Athletics Official WebsiteStay calm and focused, says Hitchon]
In July 2011, Hitchon represented the UK in the European Under-23 Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic (14–17 July),[http://www.uka.org.uk/media/news/july-2011/15-07-11-european-u23-3/?locale=en British Athletics Official WebsiteEuropean Under-23 Championships (3)] 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.{{cite news|title=Glasgow 2014: Sophie Hitchon hopes to follow up hammer bronze|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/commonwealth-games/28562952|website=BBC Sport|date=30 July 2014|accessdate=15 August 2016}}
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{{cite web|title=Rio Olympics 2016: Hitchon wins Britain's first|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/37087707|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=15 August 2016|date=15 August 2016}} 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.{{cite news |title=Sophie Hitchon: Britain's Rio Olympics hammer bronze medallist retires |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/57255636 |access-date=26 May 2021}}
International competitions
- q = in qualifying
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{sports links}}
{{Footer World Junior Champions women's hammer throw}}
{{Footer U23 European Champions Hammer Throw Women}}
{{British Athletics Championships women's hammer throw champions}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hitchon, Sophie}}
Category:Alumni of the University of Hertfordshire
Category:Sportspeople from Burnley
Category:English female hammer throwers
Category:British female hammer throwers
Category:Olympic female hammer throwers
Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain
Category:Olympic bronze medallists for Great Britain
Category:Olympic bronze medalists in athletics (track and field)
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Category:Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for England
Category:Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2014 Commonwealth Games
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Great Britain
Category:British Athletics Championships winners