Errant hammer throw kills bystander at Colorado youth track and field meet

FILE-A detail of a hammer is seen during the Men's Hammer Throw qualification on day one of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 15, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

A man was killed after he was hit by an errant hammer thrown by a competitor during a youth track and field meet at the University of Colorado’s Colorado Springs campus.

In a statement from the university obtained by the Associated Press, the school says the hammer in the hammer throw event cleared certified barriers before it struck the man Sunday morning. 

Citing KRDO-TV in Colorado, the AP noted that the man died at the scene, and he attempted to shield his wife and son from the ball. The reported hammer in the hammer event is a heavy ball on a chain. 

The identity of the man killed, and the athlete were not released by authorities. KRDO-TV reported that the man was the father of a competitor for the Colorado United Track Club that hosted the event for high school athletes around the state. 

What they're saying:

"We are heartbroken at this horrible accident and are focused on supporting all involved," campus Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet said in a statement.

Have deadly accidents occurred at track and field events before?

Deadly accidents at track and field events are uncommon. In 2017, a hammer killed a student at a college track and field meet at Wheaton College in Illinois.

And in 2005, a shot put ball hit and killed an officiant during practice at the U.S. track and field championships in Los Angeles. 

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