23 Facts About Gwen Berry

Gwendolyn Denise Berry was born on June 29,1989 and is an American track and field athlete who specializes in the hammer throw.

Gwen Berry is a three-time national champion in the weight throw at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Gwen Berry was the gold medalist in the hammer at the 2014 Pan American Sports Festival.

Gwen Berry was born to Michael Berry and Laura Hayes; she grew up in Florissant, Missouri and attended McCluer High School.

Gwen Berry began studying for a degree in psychology and criminal justice at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2007.

Gwen Berry took up throwing events for the Southern Illinois Salukis collegiate team and came fourth in the hammer throw at the 2008 USA Junior Championships.

Gwen Berry's throwing improved the following year and she was the Missouri Valley Conference champion in the weight throw and shot put and reached eleventh in the former event at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Gwen Berry took the hammer bronze, behind Heather Steacy and fellow Salukis athlete Jeneva McCall.

Gwen Berry entered as favourite for the weight throw at the NCAA Indoor Championships, but performed poorly, ending in tenth, and commented that she was psychologically affected by being one of the smaller athletes there.

Gwen Berry defended her weight throw national title in 2014.

Gwen Berry was seventh at the 2014 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, but was still selected for the Pan American Sports Festival.

Gwen Berry enjoyed her highest world ranking that season, placing 17th overall.

Gwen Berry skipped the 2015 indoor season and again competed on the circuit, placing tenth in the 2015 IAAF Hammer Throw Challenge final standings.

Gwen Berry cleared seventy metres for the first time nationally at the 2015 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, but strong performances by Campbell, DeAnna Price and Bingson left her in fifth place overall.

At the start of 2016, Gwen Berry was dominant in the weight throw, winning four straight meetings with throws over 24 meters, including a third career win at the 2016 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, and ranking number one globally for the season.

Gwen Berry's hammer throw was much improved with consistent throws beyond seventy meters.

Gwen Berry placed second in hammer throw behind Team USA teammates Amber Campbell, ahead of DeAnna Price at 2016 Olympic Trials and represented the United States at 2016 Summer Olympics.

At the 2020 Olympic Trials, Gwen Berry placed third in the hammer throw behind DeAnna Price and Brooke Anderson and represented the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics, where she qualified for the final and finished 11th.

Gwen Berry has received two doping violation suspensions issued by USADA during her career.

The International Olympic Committee reprimanded Gwen Berry and placed her on probation for 12 months, prohibiting her from any form of protest for a year.

Gwen Berry's act cost her sponsorships, and she estimated that she lost $50,000.

In June 2021, during the US Olympic track and field trials for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Gwen Berry turned away from the US flag during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner".

Gwen Berry said of the national anthem's timing that "I feel like it was a set-up".