THE FOLLOWING IS A DANVILLE NOON ROTARY RELEASE
ABOVE: Olympic Athlete DeAnna Price pictured with Rotarian Dr. Donald Rokosch
Monday, November 25, 2024- Danville Noon Rotary welcomed Olympic Athlete DeAnna Price. DeAnna competes in the Hammer Throw and set a U.S. record of 263.5 feet in the 2021 Olympic trials becoming the #2 women’s thrower in the history of the sport. DeAnna spoke about growing up on a farm in Missouri and participating in track and field, specializing in shot put and discus and eventually being introduced to the Hammer Throw. She earned a full ride scholarship to Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. It was there that she was introduced to her husband, J.C. Lambert, who was a five-time All-American thrower on the men’s side. She spoke tearfully about Lambert’s willingness to give up his own Olympic dreams to help her achieve her own. He became her coach and biggest supporter as she went on to compete internationally.
(1st Picture) Olympic Athlete DeAnna Price (2nd Picture) Medals and other memorabilia displayed at Rotary meeting
Among her impressive resume of athletic achievements, DeAnna won a gold medal in the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, becoming the first woman from the United States to medal in any women’s throwing event at a World Championship. She also earned gold at the 2018 NACAC Championships and the 2023 Pan American games. She represented the USA at the Olympic Games (8th place 2016 Rio de Janeiro, 8th place 2021 Tokyo, 11th place 2024 Paris). She spoke about the challenges she faced when competing with multiple injuries and the importance of keeping a positive mindset. Presently, she still trains, works part time at the University of Illinois and works with children in underserved schools. She hopes that she can serve as a role model for young girls, encouraging them to embrace their unique skills, find where they fit and never give up on their dreams.
The next meeting will be Monday, December 2 at 12:00 p.m. at St. James Church for the Vocational Service Award presentation.
