A spectator killed by an errant weight in a hammer throw event at a youth track and field meet was a dedicated father and husband with a great sense of humor, relatives said. Firefighters pronounced Langston dead at the scene. Witnesses reported Langston trying to shield his wife and son from the incoming weight.
The so-called hammer in the hammer throw event is actually a ball on a chain. The ball weighs 16 pounds 7 kilograms for men and 9 pounds 4 kilograms for women in adult competition, according to World Athletics, the international track and field governing body. Athletes spin in a circle to gain momentum before releasing the weight to throw as far as they can.
The family had no further comment besides its statement, Rocha said by email. Fatal accidents at track and field competitions are rare but not unheard of. A shot-put ball struck and killed an officiant during practice at the U. A hammer killed a student at a college track and field meet at Wheaton College in Illinois in Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion.
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