Hammer Thrower Gwen Berry Turns Away From Flag At US Olympic Trials

Gwen Berry, Olympic hammer thrower, stated she was “set up.” She dismissed the flag at the US Olympic trials on Saturday night.

The anthem began as Berry was on the podium after finishing third. While the music  sounded, Berry put her left hand on her hip and moved her feet. She was facing the stands, not the flag. At the end, she displayed a t-shirt that said, “Activist Athlete.”

In the US trials, hammer throwers receive their awards prior to the start of the night session. It starts with a video rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner shown on the scoreboard. “I feel like it was a set-up, and they did it on purpose,” Berry said of the timing of the anthem. “I was pissed, to be honest.”
“My purpose and my mission is bigger than sports,” she said. “I’m here to represent those … who died due to systemic racism..”