US hammer thrower claims ‘set-up’ over national anthem at Olympic trials
Berry has protested the anthem before in 2019
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Your support makes all the difference.US hammer thrower Gwen Berry turned away on the podium during the national anthem at Olympic Trials and was “pissed” it was played.
The star, who qualified for her second Games after coming third in her event, said it was “disrespectful” as she was told the anthem would be played before the athletes came out.
Berry added she was ready to get in the shade but instead had to stand in the blazing sunshine for the Star-Spangled Banner.
She said: “I feel like it was a set-up, and they did it on purpose. I was pissed, to be honest. They had enough opportunities to play the national anthem before we got up there. I was thinking about what I should do. Eventually I stayed there and I swayed, I put my shirt over my head.
“It was real disrespectful. I didn’t really want to be up there. Like I said, it was a setup. I was hot, I was ready to take my pictures and get into some shade.”
Winner DeAnna Price and runner-up Brooke Andersen faced the flags in the Oregon stadium and placed a hand on their heart during the anthem, while Berry turned away and held up a t-shirt that read “Activist Athlete”.
Unlike the Olympics, the national anthem isn’t played when athletes take the podium at trials. She added the anthem has never spoken to her and it’s not important.
She said: “They said they were going to play it before we walked out, then they played it when we were out there. But I don’t really want to talk about the anthem because that’s not important. The anthem doesn’t speak for me. It never has.
“My purpose and my mission is bigger than sports. I’m here to represent those … who died due to systemic racism. That’s the important part. That’s why I’m going. That’s why I’m here today.”
A spokesperson for USA Track and Field disagreed with Berry’s comments about the decision.
Susan Hazzard said: “The national anthem was scheduled to play at 5:20 p.m. today. We didn’t wait until the athletes were on the podium for the hammer throw awards. The national anthem is played every day according to a previously published schedule.”
However, when Berry was on the podium on Saturday the music started playing at 5.25pm.
Berry has protested the anthem in the past, raising her fist at the Pan-American Games in 2019 and was subsequently put on probation.
No disciplinary action will be taken against athletes who take a knee or raise a fist at the Tokyo Games, though the Rule 50 that prohibits demonstrations will be enforced.
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