Ethan Katzberg has won the Lionel Conacher Trophy as the 2024 Canadian Press Male Athlete of the Year.
His crowning achievement of the year was undoubtedly his gold medal in the hammer throw at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The 22-year-old made history by becoming the first Canadian Olympic champion in the hammer throw and the first Canadian medalist in the event since the 1912 Stockholm Games.
“I gave 150% to Paris, right?” said Katzberg. “I didn’t have much attention for anything else. And then, having that little moment to show all the work you’ve done—and everything goes well, everything comes together at the right time—it was so emotional. It was an incredibly special moment.”
READ: Ethan Katzberg wins gold in men’s hammer throw
In the Olympic final, the athlete from Nanaimo, British Columbia, opened with a throw of 84.12m, just shy of his personal best. That mark secured him the Olympic title within minutes, as no other competitor managed to break the 80-meter mark.
Two days later, fellow Canadian Camryn Rogers matched his feat, winning gold in the women’s hammer throw.
“It puts a smile on my face,” Katzberg explained. “Few people or athletes, I think, realize they can have an impact on new generations, no matter the scale. It’s just an incredible feeling.”
At the end of the Games, Katzberg was chosen to carry the Canadian flag during the closing ceremony, alongside swimmer Summer McIntosh, who was named Female Athlete of the Year by The Canadian Press.
READ: Summer McIntosh earns 2024 CP Female Athlete of the Year honour
