Student Fatally Struck by Hammer at Wheaton College Track Meet

That is really horrible. Something similar happened at a meet at North Central College in 1981: http://www.nytimes.com/1981/04/23/sports/trackman-struck-on-head-by-hammer-dies-of-injury.html I was on the WC team back then.

A photographer was killed in a similar manner at the NCAA Division II Championships at Cal State L.A. In 1985.

Coach Godina told us an official was killed when he was competing at Cal St Dominguez once.

Very sad

Also sad to say that I have witnessed numerous injuries and close calls. Most of which could have been easily avoided by having safe throwing areas, qualified/experienced officials and common sense rules. At one recent meet close to the accident above, the hammer flew over the heads of spectators on at least 5 different occasions during the meet. After each errant throw, the spectators brushed themselves off and went right back where they were! Why would they even be allowed there?

celery wrote:

If I was supreme emperor of the world, I would dictate that Tracks become 600 meter ovals (150m for each strait and curve). This way, there would be more room on the infield for the throw events, and maybe less of these types of accidents.

Or rather drop all throwing events from T&F -- hammer, discus, shot put and javelin should all be done on a different field or a different time in a more controlled environment.

A volunteer cameraman broke his leg when hit by a discus at Worlds in Portland, Oregon a few years ago.

Very, very sad. I feel badly for the thrower as well....he must be devastated.

Why can't people stand a safe distance from a hammer thrower? They should mark an arc to NCAA record or WR distance, have people stand behind it, nobody gets hurt or killed. Simple.

f*ck trump wrote:

Or rather drop all throwing events from T&F -- hammer, discus, shot put and javelin should all be done on a different field or a different time in a more controlled environment.

These stupid events should never be held around runners, nor any people at all.

The way retired HS coaches rise to the top meets is not only by paying their own transportation and hotel fees but by socializing, carousing, and gladhanding while dangerous events are in-progress.

Wheaton's throws area is totally separate from the track. It's about 1/2 mile away with a lot of space around the discus/hammer sector.

Does anyone know how he actually ended up getting hit? Like was he just not paying attention and it went out of bounds and hit him or was he walking in the sector and not paying attention and got hit? Very sad situation that could have easily been prevented.

According to NY Daily News: "Witnesses told NBC Chicago that Roser — who was volunteering at the competition — was in the middle of the field and was in the wrong place at the wrong time. "

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/college/wheaton-college-student-killed-hammer-track-field-meet-article-1.3091268

I was once hit by an indoor weight implement on an indoor track during practice between reps in a track workout.

I was jogging after a 500m rep and was hit right in the gut in a practice throw that went astray.

I thought my ribs were crushed but I just really had th wind knocked out of me.

My back bothered me for a week but I was fine after that.

This death is horrible.

The hammer goes far and can easily go far out of bounds if it gets past that net backing.

i wasnt there wrote:

According to NY Daily News: "Witnesses told NBC Chicago that Roser — who was volunteering at the competition — was in the middle of the field and was in the wrong place at the wrong time. "

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/college/wheaton-college-student-killed-hammer-track-field-meet-article-1.3091268

Oh man. That poor family. And whomever threw the hammer..ugh. Terrible.

I posted here saying that these injuries are 99.9% preventable, and people managing meets/facilities need to make sure that the right precautions are in place.

Why would that be deleted?

Yay, let's make the same mistakes over and over, and be sad when the same thing happens every year.

As an emergency doctor, I think it's disgraceful that the site deleted a post trying to bring some learning from this tragedy.

disappointing foresight wrote:

I posted here saying that these injuries are 99.9% preventable, and people managing meets/facilities need to make sure that the right precautions are in place.

Why would that be deleted?

Yay, let's make the same mistakes over and over, and be sad when the same thing happens every year.

As an emergency doctor, I think it's disgraceful that the site deleted a post trying to bring some learning from this tragedy.

By definition accidents are pretty much 100% preventable - that's why they are called accidents. However, statistics tells us that given enough hammer throws there will be someone that will be in the wrong place at the wrong time - no matter what safety precautions are in place. And I am willing to bet they had plenty of safety precautions at this meet. So unless your post pointed out something that was not obvious (like standing in the hammer area and not paying attention is a bad idea) there really was not any "learning" (and I hate that use of the word) to be had. Its just a sad accident, that if it didn't happen at Wheaton, was eventually going to happen someplace else - and be just as sad.

My condolences to the victim's family and I hope the thrower gets some kind of psychological help in the aftermath of this accident.

I also had a post that was deleted even though there was nothing wrong or offensive about it. Strange.

Onto a different thought...now that I think about it I don't think we were ever taught safety rules around the field events in high school or college. I know distance runners are generally away from these areas but we do occasionally wander over and watch. It think it is quite easy for somebody to aimlessly walk while texting into a danger area.

In high school one of our athletes was struck by a javelin and we didn't find out about it until one week later. Almost like it was hush hush. We were just told, "It is important to be careful so this does not happen again" and then it was back to business as usual.

Most of these incidents really are preventable.