"The hammer throw is the most technical of all the field events next to the pole vault because you're dealing with a 16-pound weight and wire, which creates a whole different kind of momentum," says CBC analyst Michael Smith.

Like some other field events, notably shot put, the simple vigour of youth is actually a negative in the hammer throw.

"Obviously, you need to be very strong, but it's experience that counts at the Olympics," says Smith. "The veterans get the edge because of the psychological dimension to the event. Technical events are the older people's events -- if they stay healthy and strong because they're continually honing their technique."