Ken Flax

American hammer thrower (born 1963)

Kenneth Flax (born April 20, 1963) is a retired American Olympic hammer thrower, whose personal best throw is 80.02 metres, achieved in May 1988 in Modesto.

Flax was born in San Francisco, California, and is Jewish.[1] Flax is a two-time Olympic hammer thrower, who competed in the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games. He competed in Track & Field as a student at Redwood High School,[2] and began throwing the hammer for the University of Oregon in January 1982, and by June 1982 he won the USA Junior National Championships and competed in the Junior Pan Am Games in Caracas, Venezuela. Flax later went on to win two Pac-10 championships and the 1986 NCAA Championships, throwing seven personal records in nine throws and broke the NCAA record three times in the process which still stands today as the American Collegiate Record.

After college, Flax went on to compete in three World University Games winning a bronze and in 1991 he won the gold medal, beating the former number one ranked hammer thrower in the world, Heinz Weis. One of the highlights of Flax's throwing career was competing in the 1987 and 1991 World Championships, where he finished 7th in 1991 marking the first time in 21 years that an American has made the finals in the hammer throw in a non-boycotted major world event.

Flax won the gold medal in the hammer throw at both the 1985 Maccabiah Games, and then at the 1989 Maccabiah Games with a 78.86 meter toss.[3][4]

In 2009, Ken was inducted into the Redwood High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Flax was the best field man in Redwood's track history, a powerful young teen who hurled the shot 57 feet—second all-time best in the MCAL. He has also been inducted into the University of Oregon Athletic Hall of Fame.[2]

## Achievements

[edit]

Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Notes

|
|
|
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Representing the  United States
1985  | Maccabiah Games | Ramat Gan, Israel | 1st  | 68.34 m
1986  | Goodwill Games | Moscow, Soviet Union | 10th  | 73.44 m
1987  | World Championships | Rome, Italy | 20th  | 73.36 m
1988  | Olympic Games | Seoul, South Korea | 18th  | 72.70 m
1989  | Maccabiah Games | Ramat Gan, Israel | 1st  | 78.06 m
World Student Games | Duisburg, West Germany | 3rd  | 75.86 m
1991  | World Championships | Tokyo, Japan | 7th  | 75.98 m
World Student Games | Sheffield, England | 1st  | 76.46 m
1992  | Olympic Games | Barcelona, Spain | 23rd  | 69.36 m

## See also

[edit]

* List of Maccabiah records in athletics

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Day by Day in Jewish Sports History – Bob Wechsler – Google Books
2. ^ a b "Ken Flax | Maccabi USA". Archived from the original on 2017-10-19. Retrieved 2018-02-26.
3. ^ The Sidelines: Security Tight at Maccabiah Games - latimes
4. ^ Flax sets Maccabiah record – UPI Archives

## External links

[edit]

* Ken Flax at World Athletics

* v
* t
* e

World University Games champions in men's hammer throw

* 1959:  Gyula Zsivótzky (HUN)
* 1961:  Gyula Zsivótzky (HUN)
* 1963:  Gennadiy Kondrashov (URS)
* 1965:  Gyula Zsivótzky (HUN)
* 1967:  Yoshihisa Ishida (JPN)
* 1970:  Jochen Sachse (GDR)
* 1973:  Valentin Dmitriyenko (URS)
* 1975:  Aleksey Spiridonov (URS)
* 1977:  Emanuil Dyulgerov (BUL)
* 1979:  Klaus Ploghaus (FRG)
* 1981:  Klaus Ploghaus (FRG)
* 1983:  Jüri Tamm (URS)
* 1985:  Heinz Weis (FRG)
* 1987:  Igor Astapkovich (URS)
* 1989:  Igor Astapkovich (URS)
* 1991:  Ken Flax (USA)
* 1993:  Vadim Kolesnik (UKR)
* 1995:  Balázs Kiss (HUN)
* 1997:  Balázs Kiss (HUN)
* 1999:  Zsolt Németh (HUN)
* 2001:  Nicola Vizzoni (ITA)
* 2003:  Ivan Tikhon (BLR)
* 2005:  Vadim Devyatovskiy (BLR)
* 2007:  Aleksandr Vashchyla (BLR)
* 2009:  Yury Shayunou (BLR)
* 2011:  Paweł Fajdek (POL)
* 2013:  Paweł Fajdek (POL)
* 2015:  Paweł Fajdek (POL)
* 2017:  Paweł Fajdek (POL)
* 2019:  Özkan Baltacı (TUR)
* 2021:  Wang Qi (CHN)

* v
* t
* e

US National Championship winners in men's hammer throw

1876–1878
New York Athletic Club|

* 1876: William Curtis
* 1877: George Parmly
* 1878: William Curtis

1879–1888 – NAAAA|

* 1879: James McDermott
* 1880: William Curtis
* 1881-2: Frank Lambrecht
* 1883: Wilson Coudon
* 1884-5: Frank Lambrecht
* 1886: Wilson Coudon
* 1887: Charles Queckberner
* 1888Note 1: Frank Lambrecht

1888–1979
Amateur Athletic Union|

* 1888Note 1: William Barry
* 1889–96: James Mitchel
* 1897-9: John Flanagan
* 1900: Rich. Sheridan
* 1901-2: John Flanagan
* 1903: James Mitchel
* 1904-5: Alfred Plaw
* 1906-7: John Flanagan
* 1908: Matt McGrath
* 1909: Lee Talbott
* 1910: Matt McGrath
* 1911: Con Walsh
* 1912: Matt McGrath
* 1913-7: Pat Ryan
* 1918: Matt McGrath
* 1919–21OT: Pat Ryan
* 1922: Matt McGrath
* 1923-4: Fred Tootell
* 1925-6: Matt McGrath
* 1927: Jack Merchant
* 1928OT: Edmund Black
* 1929: Jack Merchant
* 1930: Norwood Wright
* 1931: Ed Flanagan
* 1932OT: Frank Conner
* 1933: Pat O'Callaghan
* 1934: Donald Favor
* 1935: Henry Dreyer
* 1936: William Rowe
* 1937-8: Irving Folwartshny
* 1939: Chester Cruikshank
* 1940: Stanley Johnson
* 1941: Irving Folwartshny
* 1942: Chester Cruikshank
* 1943-5: Henry Dreyer
* 1946: Irving Folwartshny
* 1947-8: Bob Bennett
* 1949–51: Samuel Felton
* 1952: Tom Bane
* 1953: Marty Engel
* 1954: Bob Backus
* 1955–61: Hal Connolly
* 1962-3: Albert Hall
* 1964-5: Hal Connolly
* 1966-8: Ed Burke
* 1969: Tom Gage
* 1970-1: George Frenn
* 1972: Al Schoterman
* 1973: Ted Bregar
* 1974: Steve DeAutremont
* 1975: Boris Djerassi
* 1976: Larry Hart
* 1977: Emmitt Berry
* 1978: Boris Djerassi
* 1979: Scott Neilson
* 1980: Giampaolo Urlando

1980–1992
The Athletics Congress|

* 1981:  Richard Olsen (NOR), Dave McKenzie (2nd)
* 1982-3: Dave McKenzie
* 1984-5: Jud Logan
* 1986: Bill Green
* 1987: Jud Logan
* 1988: Ken Flax
* 1989: Lance Deal
* 1990: Ken Flax
* 1991-2OT: Jud Logan

1993-onwards
USA Track & Field|

* 1993-6OT: Lance Deal
* 1997: Kevin McMahon
* 1998–2000OT: Lance Deal
* 2001: Kevin McMahon
* 2002: Lance Deal
* 2003-5: James Parker
* 2006-9: A. G. Kruger
* 2010: Jake Freeman
* 2011-2: Kibwé Johnson
* 2013: A. G. Kruger
* 2014-5: Kibwé Johnson
* 2016: Rudy Winkler
* 2017: Alex Young
* 2018: Rudy Winkler
* 2019: Conor McCullough
* 20212020 OT: Rudy Winkler
* 2022: Daniel Haugh
* 2023: Rudy Winkler
* 2024: Daniel Haugh
* 2025: Rudy Winkler

Notes|

* Note 1: In 1888 both the NAAAA and the AAU held championships

* OT: The 1920, 1928, 1932, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 championships incorporated the Olympic Trials, otherwise held as a discrete event.

* 2020 OT: The 2020 Olympic Trials were delayed and held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

* v
* t
* e

1988 USA Olympic track and field team

Qualification|

* 1988 United States Olympic trials (track and field)

Men's track
and road athletes|

* Brian Abshire
* Jeff Atkinson
* Tracy Baskin
* Bruce Bickford
* Arthur Blake
* Terry Brahm
* Tonie Campbell
* Mark Conover
* Mark Deady
* Joe DeLoach
* Brian Diemer
* Danny Everett
* Mark Everett
* Marco Evoniuk
* Ed Eyestone
* Johnny Gray
* Jim Heiring
* Andy Kaestner
* Roger Kingdom
* Carl Lewis
* Steve Lewis
* Tim Lewis
* Sydney Maree
* Henry Marsh
* Roy Martin
* Antonio McKay (r)
* Lee McNeill (r)
* Dennis Mitchell
* Gary Morgan
* Edwin Moses
* Doug Padilla
* Pete Pfitzinger
* Andre Phillips
* Steve Plasencia
* Pat Porter
* Butch Reynolds
* Albert Robinson (r)
* Kevin Robinzine (r)
* Carl Schueler
* Steve Scott
* Calvin Smith
* Andrew Valmon (r)
* Kevin Young

Men's
field athletes|

* Willie Banks
* Randy Barnes
* Earl Bell
* Tim Bright
* Mike Buncic
* Robert Cannon
* Hollis Conway
* Brian Crouser
* Lance Deal
* Jim Doehring
* Ken Flax
* Randy Heisler
* Jim Howard
* Dave Johnson
* Gary Kinder
* Carl Lewis
* Jud Logan
* Larry Myricks
* Billy Olson
* Tom Petranoff
* Mike Powell
* Charles Simpkins
* Brian Stanton
* Dave Stephens
* Gregg Tafralis
* Kory Tarpenning
* Mac Wilkins

Women's track
and road athletes|

* Evelyn Ashford
* Valerie Brisco
* Alice Brown (r)
* Joetta Clark
* Gail Devers-Roberts
* Nancy Ditz
* Diane Dixon
* Sheila Echols (r)
* Kim Gallagher
* Margaret Groos
* Denean Howard-Hill
* Sherri Howard (r)
* Vicki Huber
* Jacqueline Humphrey
* Regina Jacobs
* Lynn Jennings
* Florence Griffith Joyner
* Francie Larrieu-Smith
* Lillie Leatherwood (r)
* Pam Marshall
* LaVonna Martin
* Leslie Maxie
* Lynn Nelson
* Cathy O'Brien
* PattiSue Plumer
* LaTanya Sheffield
* Mary Decker Slaney
* Gwen Torrence
* Delisa Walton-Floyd
* Schowonda Williams
* Dannette Young (r)

Women's
field athletes|

* Wendy Brown
* Carol Cady
* Bonnie Dasse
* Sheila Echols
* Cindy Greiner
* Jackie Joyner-Kersee
* Trish King
* Carol Lewis
* Donna Mayhew
* Ramona Pagel
* Connie Price
* Louise Ritter
* Karin Smith
* Coleen Sommer
* Lynda Sutfin

Coaches|

* Stan Huntsman (men's head coach)
* Dean Hayes (men's assistant coach)
* Irving "Moon" Mondschein (men's assistant coach)
* Tom Pagani (men's assistant coach)
* Russ Rogers (men's assistant coach)
* Joe Vigil (men's assistant coach)
* Terry Crawford (women's head coach)
* Ken Foreman (women's assistant coach)
* Dave Rodda (women's assistant coach)
* Fred Thompson (women's assistant coach)

* v
* t
* e

1992 USA Olympic track and field team

Qualification|

* 1992 United States Olympic trials (track and field)

Men's track
and road athletes|

* Michael Bates
* Arthur Blake
* Leroy Burrell
* Mark Croghan
* Tony Dees
* Brian Diemer
* Danny Everett
* Mark Everett
* Marco Evoniuk
* Ed Eyestone
* Johnny Gray
* Darnell Hall (r)
* Terrance Herrington
* Steve Holman
* Allen James
* Chip Jenkins
* James Jett (r)
* Michael Johnson
* Bob Kempainen
* Bob Kennedy
* Carl Lewis (r)
* Steve Lewis
* Daniel Lopez
* Michael Marsh
* Dennis Mitchell
* McClinton Neal
* Herm Nelson
* José Parrilla
* David Patrick
* Jack Pierce
* Steve Plasencia
* Aaron Ramirez
* Reuben Reina
* Carl Schueler
* Steve Spence
* Jim Spivey
* John Trautmann
* Andrew Valmon (r)
* Quincy Watts
* Todd Williams
* Mark Witherspoon
* Kevin Young

Men's
field athletes|

* Charles Austin
* Ron Backes
* Mike Barnett
* Brian Blutreich
* Tim Bright
* Mike Buncic
* Mike Conley
* Hollis Conway
* Brian Crouser
* Lance Deal
* Jim Doehring
* Ken Flax
* Joe Greene
* Dave Johnson
* Carl Lewis
* Jud Logan
* Aric Long
* Rob Muzzio
* Darrin Plab
* Mike Powell
* Tom Pukstys
* Charles Simpkins
* Mike Stulce
* Kory Tarpenning
* John Tillman
* Dave Volz
* Anthony Washington

Women's track
and road athletes|

* Evelyn Ashford
* Tonja Buford
* Joetta Clark
* Gwynneth Coogan
* Gail Devers
* Sandra Farmer-Patrick
* Michelle Finn
* Carlette Guidry
* Suzy Hamilton
* Victoria Herazo
* Denean Hill (r)
* Regina Jacobs
* Julie Jenkins
* Lynn Jennings
* Esther Jones (r)
* Natasha Kaiser
* Janis Klecker
* Francie Larrieu-Smith
* Debbi Lawrence
* LaVonna Martin
* Jearl Miles
* Cathy O'Brien
* Annette Peters
* PattiSue Plumer
* Meredith Rainey
* Michelle Rohl
* Shelly Steely
* Rochelle Stevens
* Judi St. Hilaire
* Lynda Tolbert
* Gwen Torrence
* Janeene Vickers
* Dannette Young (r)

Women's
field athletes|

* Paula Berry
* Kym Carter
* Sharon Couch
* Bonnie Dasse
* Pam Dukes
* Sheila Echols
* Carla Garrett
* Cindy Greiner
* Tanya Hughes
* Jackie Joyner-Kersee
* Donna Mayhew
* Penny Neer
* Ramona Pagel
* Connie Price-Smith
* Sue Rembao
* Amber Welty

Coaches|

* Mel Rosen (men's head coach)
* Harry Groves (men's assistant coach)
* Erv Hunt (men's assistant coach)
* Ed Jacoby (men's assistant coach)
* Bill Moultrie (men's assistant coach)
* Fred Samara (men's assistant coach)
* Barbara Jacket (women's head coach)
* Dorothy Doolittle (women's assistant coach)
* Lance Harter (women's assistant coach)
* Bert Lyle (women's assistant coach)

Authority control databases: People |

* World Athletics

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*[URS]: Soviet Union
*[JPN]: Japan
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*[BUL]: Bulgaria
*[FRG]: West Germany
*[USA]: United States
*[UKR]: Ukraine
*[ITA]: Italy
*[BLR]: Belarus
*[POL]: Poland
*[TUR]: Turkey
*[CHN]: China
*[NOR]: Norway