Olympic Trials 2012

Britney Henry will compete for a spot on the USA Olympic Track and Field Team Thursday, June 21, 2012.

Britney has dedicated her life to this sport, training everyday for the last 12 years. The dedication it takes to compete at this elite level is unfathomable, and we at the Britney Henry Project have the ultimate respect for all the athletes competing for this honor.

The Olympic trials will be broadcast live from the Nike Campus in Oregon, via Comcast Sportsnet.

Women's Hammer - 1pm
Men's Hammer - 5pm

Good luck, Britney! Throw far!

Britney (The Hammer) Henry at Mt. SAC 2012

Britney (the Hammer) Henry vs. the best international women hammer throwers at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays, April 21st, 2012.

The Britney Henry Project photographers, Graham Smith, Mark Matcho and Teresa Heath covered this field event, as the Olympic hopefuls powered their throws towards (and beyond) the Olympic A Standard qualifying distance of 71.5 meters! 

The Mt. SAC Relays are early in the Olympic season and the competition is already fierce.  Third place winner, Sophie Hitchon threw her hammer 70.47 meters, setting a new national record for Great Britain! Just wait until "Hammer Time" comes and these intense elite athletes compete for a spot in the big show.

There are less than 100 days until the Olympics.

The Olympic trials are on June 21st, 2012 in Beaverton, Oregon.

1. Amber Campbell               Nike-Mjolnir            71.57m     234-10      68.10m  FOUL  69.56m  71.57m  70.63m  FOUL                        

2. Jessica Cosby                     Nike                          71.29m     233-11      69.73m  67.48m  FOUL  69.15m  71.29m  FOUL                        

3. Sophie Hitchon                 Great Britain             70.47m     231-02      68.33m  69.48m  68.70m  69.50m  70.47m  69.88m                    

4. Britney Henry                  ASTF                          70.04m     229-09      66.44m  69.01m  70.04m  FOUL  69.43m  FOUL      

More photos click here.

Photos: Graham Smith © 2012

Meet Record - Oregon Preview 2011

Photo by Natalie Rombach

Wearing competition green Addias stripes, Britney Henry breaks her own meet record at the Oregon Preview 2011 by throwing her hammer 218 feet 9 inches in the first pre-season meet of 2011.

 From the Register-Guard by Curtis Anderson: Oregon Preview 2011...

"Former UO standout Britney Henry, who is still coached by the Ducks’ Lance Deal, overcame fouls on her first two throws to uncork a winning effort of 218 feet, 9 inches. Henry broke her own meet record of 216-9, which she set last year.

It was a gratifying season opener for Henry after she was stuck in the San Francisco airport for 12 hours on Friday because of weather delays.

“My body was still mad about that airport stay, but hey, take what you can get,” said Henry, whose PR of 233-10 is just off the “A” standard of 234-7. “A win is a win, and I think that’s pretty good for how I feel right now.” "   Read more...

From the Oregonian by Ken Roe: Oregon Preview 2011...

Oregon track & field: Pros Tyler Mulder, Sally Kipyego and Britney Henry tear up the Oregon Preview record book. Read more...

Britney Henry Video at Mt SAC Relays 2010

MT SAC Relays 2010 from Andrei Booriakin on Vimeo.

Watch Britney Henry, the Hammer, compete against the best athletes in the world at the 2010 Mt. SAC Relays.

The Mount San Antonio College Relays 2010 is an international, invitational Track and Field meet held at the beginning of the Track and Field competition season each year, in Walnut California.

The Elite Athletes, fresh out of winter training, see this competition as their first chance to test new techniques and to see how they measure up against each other.

The 2010 Women's Hammer throw featured the best hammer throwers throughout the America's and Canada for their International Distance Carnival. Watch Olympic Hopeful, Britney Henry compete against the most experienced and highly ranked athletes in the field.

Representing the United States of America are Erin Gilreath (American Record Holder), Amber Campbell (USA National Champion), Loree Smith (Bejing Olympics 2008) and Britney Henry (rising star) vs international athletes Sultana Frizell (Canadian National Champion) and Eva Orban of Hungary.

 About the Video >>

The Britney Henry Project photographers and film makers were granted Press Credentials to cover the Mt SAC Relays and to film Elite Athlete Britney Henry in competition. We created this video to promote Britney Henry and her dream of becoming an Olympian in 2012

Film maker Andrei Booriakin filmed and edited "Mt SAC Relays 2010" as his first installment of a high definition video series for The Britney Henry Project.  This video was filmed with a Canon 5D MK2,  and Canon 7D and edited on an 8 core Mac Pro with Final Cut Pro, Motion and other software. Andrei currently works as the Senior Manager, Art Development at Sony Computer Entertainment America.

Mark Matcho, illustrator and musician extraordinaire, wrote, performed and produced the original score for this video, entitled Mountain III. His private recording studio is located deep in a cave somewhere in Pasadena, California.

See More >>

American Woman Video by Andrei Booriakin and Graham Smith. A rocking 30 music video featuring Britney Henry throwing the hammer.

Behind the scenes photos by photographer Teresa Heath document the day in the most beautiful way.

Mt. SAC Relays photos and portraits of the Elite Athletes by Graham Smith, can be seen here.

Read Britney's account of the day on her blog Olympian in Progress.

Mt SAC Relays 2010. Copyright © 2010 The Britney Henry Project. All Rights Reserved.

Britney Henry the Rising Star

For Immediate Release. Written by Steve Corman, Graham Smith. Photo by Brent Haywood. Questions? Contact: Graham Smith. Phone: (619) 229-8746 The Britney Henry Project

San Diego, CA – 2010 is Britney Henry's breakout year. Dedication and persistence earned her place as the # 2 Women's Hammer Thrower in the U.S.A, and 14th in the world, according to the IAAF Top Rank List.

Britney Henry throws the hammer 5 meters farther now than in the beginning of the 2010 season. Her eyes are firmly set on making the American team for the 2012 Summer Olympics, especially after a few first place finishes and throwing a 71.27 meter, personal record, at the Tucson Elite, earlier this year.

“I work out six days a week at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista,” Henry explains, adding, "And during the summer, I either travel all over, competing in Track and Field Meets, work with the Padre's, or hang out with family."

Britney's success continued into the virtual world as well. This spring, The Britney Henry Project Blog was a 2010 Influence SD "Blog of the Year" finalist. Britney Henry was interviewed on the red carpet while enjoying the gala awards ceremony with her friends, and grandmother, Britney's biggest supporter.

The USA Track and Field Foundation became a supporter this year, awarding Britney Henry a very generous Elite Athlete Grant.

BIOGRAPHY & QUOTES

• Britney Henry was born in Anchorage, Alaska and grew up in San Diego, where she went to grammar school until 3rd grade, eventually attending Lewis & Clark High School in Spokane, Washington.

• “I was a pretty good athlete and enjoyed softball most of all,” she explains. “I played catcher for a number of years and loved being involved with every pitch. Later, I discovered track."

• Britney broke the Washington state record with a hammer throw of 166 feet her senior year of high school.

• Southeast Louisiana State University, immediately offered her a scholarship. She accepted.

• "During that year I improved my throws to 205 feet,” Britney says, who moved to Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge her sophomore year.

• “Before I knew it, I was recruited by the University of Oregon", a perennial track and field powerhouse, "My coach there was Lance Deal, the men’s silver medalist in the men’s hammer throw at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia”.

• Britney was a standout at University of Oregon, winning the Pac 10 Conference title in 2007 and finishing 5th in the NCAA Championship meet, held at Stanford. She was an NCAA All-American that year and her throws began regularly surpassing 220 feet.

• “Britney is one of the most determined and tenacious young athletes I’ve ever worked with. It’s a pleasure to see her drive and desire,” Coach Lance Deal explains.

• She also works with her former Olympic Training Center coach, Dan Pfaff, who now lives in England. He currently writes her workouts, communicating regularly by e-mail.

• Britney graduated from University of Oregon in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology and a minor in business.

• Britney works part-time in ticket sales and community outreach for the San Diego Padres baseball team.

• “I’ve been extremely fortunate to work with such a great organization. I hope to mentor young women interested in doing what I’ve done. It’s always great to give back,” she adds.

• "I love to throw far and win. It’s what I try to do each time I go out and compete,” she concludes.

2010 Track and Field Season

• USA Nationals 69.57

• California Relays 70.23 (meters)


• Tucson Elite 71.27


• Tucson Elite 68.15


• Oregon Twilight 65.13


• Drake Relays 65.30


• Mt. SAC 69.51


• Texas Relays 67.96


• Oregon Preview 66.11

• 
  

IAAF Top List Ranking

Britney Henry:
World #14
USA # 2

Marketing

Britney Henry is active in her own promotion, is a frequent blogger. She works together with The Britney Henry Project, the A list creative group creating promotional materials for Britney. An Emmy Award winning writer, an illustrator, platinum record selling musician, award winning photographers, a web marketer and film maker all donate their crafts in support of Britney's goal. The Olympics in 2012.

The Britney Henry Project creates the look of Britney's brand, creates blogs, photos, videos and promotes her efforts online through her social media network, on Twitter, her Facebook fan page, Vimeo, Youtube, web-a-zine on Issuu, and through 2 blogs, Olympian in Progress and The Britney Henry Project.

Teaser Video: released online early this year on Vimeo, YouTube and Facebook. The 30 second, high-definition music video, featuring Britney Henry throwing hammer at the Olympic Training Center, was shot utilizing cutting edge Canon DSLR cameras and edited on a Mac Pro by Andrei Borriakin, Art Director at Sony Online Entertainment. The video is set to a driving rock remix of "American Woman" by Lenny Kravitz.

The Mt. SAC Relays 2010 Video: Currently in production. 3:15 minute high-definition music video, featuring Britney Henry competing against the best international hammer throwers from Mexico, Canada and the USA. Original score by Mark Matcho, the platinum record selling, original bassist of White Zombie.

The Britney Henry Project Blog: 2010 Influence SD "Blog of the Year" Finalist.

Photography: Britney has done 3 major photo shoots this year: Olympic Training Center, MT San Antonio College Relays, and a studio session with Brent Haywood. The Britney Henry Project maintains a large library of hi re images for use in her promotion.

Olympian in Progress: Britney shares her personal experience training and competing at the elite level on her blog, Olympian in Progress.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/hammerlover

Facebook

517 fans and growing daily.

Sponsorships

USATFF Elite Athlete Grant
The Britney Henry Project

Britney Henry is currently seeking additional sponsors. Please contact Dawn Vitale for sponsorship information.

Be sure to check out Britney's Facebook Fan Page and Twitter.

Behind the Scenes @ the Mt SAC Relays

How hard can it be to follow someone around with your camera? That was my task last month at the Mt. SAC Relays. I was invited by The Britney Henry Project to document Britney Henry throwing the hammer at this international competition. All I had to do was photograph her day. It was tougher than I thought it would be.

First off, it was sunny and hazy which made for a really bright sky and ground, not the most ideal light to shoot in. Then there are all the specifics with shooting sports photography, like fast shutter speed to freeze motion, positioning yourself properly for the action (which includes staying out of the way of fans and out of harms way), and plain ol' luck to get "the shot". All the above factored in to make for a challenging shoot for me.

The hardest part was worrying about Britney's personal space. When someone is in the midst of getting their game face on, you don't want to break that focus by being a nuisance. I think some of the more engaging shots would have been when she was mentally preparing herself for her throws. But, I was too timid to get in her space to capture them. I shoot with a 24-70mm lens which requires that I'm up in your face; and I wasn't comfortable with that. I would have preferred a longer lens. But, hey! No new toys until I get a little better!

I mentioned positioning being a concern. When we first arrived on the scene, I cruised right up to the hammer ring, got on my tummy, and put the lens right under the woven safety net. Prime location, out of the way of viewers and close to the action. I did a couple test shots to get my shutter speed down, then stepped back to wait for Britney. During the down time, I had the opportunity to watch hammer throw technique and movement to see how I might approach shooting. I was brought out of my mental banter by a loud *BOOOooNG*- the sound of someone throwing a foul and hitting the very pole I had my head next to. My head could have been there! I had to rethink my location. Who am I kidding? I went back to the same spot to photograph my cousin, this time with my head placed a little more behind the pole. The sacrifices I make! ; )

I'm thrilled to be working with The Britney Henry Project. The collaboration of artists shows her journey toward her goal of making the U.S. Olympic Team. I'm honored to be able to support her in such a unique way. I just hope I can get more shots of her being amazing.

Andrei Booriakan taking some footage of Britney's warm-up.

Graham Smith working that angle to get the shot.

Dawn Vitale securing the gear. We sure did have alot!

Shenandoah helped measure the throws. She was wonderful to allow us in her space to do our thing.

Britney getting ready for a warm-up throw.

Good thing Andrei is limber.

Britney focusing for a competition throw.

Britney's hammer was the easiest shot of the day. It was in the shade and stationary.

More on this story can be found @ Teresa's Photo Blog.

Mt SAC Relays

The Britney Henry Project media team drove up to the Mt. San Antonio College Relays last week. We shot photos and video of Britney Henry and the elite athletes competing in this international event.

Britney Henry

Through the net

Britney Henry getting psyched before the meet.

Britney likes to do 2 warm up throws before each meet.

Loree Smith's warm up throw.

Megann VanderVliet Rodhe

Amber Campbell has a great warm up routine.

Erin Gilreath, American record holder.

Loree Smith

Erin Gilreath on deck.

Loree Smith prepares to throw.


Canadian record holder, Sultana Frizell.

Sultana Frizell

Britney Henry's 69.51 meter throw.

Elite athletes on deck.

Shenandoah and the official measures each distance carefully.

Amber Campbell threw 3 over 70 meters to win the day.

Sultana Frizell earned second place.


Britney Henry locked down third place.

Megann VanderVliet Rodhe, from Canada PR'd by more than 2 meters!

Loree Smith

Kibwé Johnson

Read Britney's account of the day on her blog "Olympian in Progress".

Official results are posted here.

Photos: Graham Smith. Canon 400D. EF-S 55 - 250mm, EF-S 18 - 55mm.

Texas Relays!!!

The stadium overlooking downtown Austin.

"Austin is by far my favorite city in Texas. I donʼt know exactly what I like about it, but there is something that makes it stand out. It could be the food, the music or that it has one kick-ass track meet!"

The Texas Relays are a huge track meet. High school, college and elite athletes all compete for 4 days of amazing track and field events. When you first get to the track, the first thing you notice is the fantastic view of downtown Austin. It is beautiful. Every building looks unique. Plus there is a gianormous football stadium, right across the street! The campus of University of Texas looks amazing, surrounded by shade trees and beautiful buildings, a perfect setting for a track meet.

The football stadium :)

Traveling to Texas, I had a pleasant surprise when I checked in to my flight. I was upgraded to first class for the first leg of my trip. :) This was my first time ever flying in first class, and I was quite excited about it. The main reason I was excited was the seats, they are bigger and recline enough to take a nap. Flying first class was great, until the plane was about to land. Turbulence is not my best friend. I am okay with the bumps, but not dropping. The am pretty sure the plane dropped about 10 times. I tried to tell myself that it was just like riding the bobsled - it kind of feels like the same, but my mind was not going for it. I had a little freak out, but not too bad. The rest of the trip was great. I arrived pretty late into Austin, and after a few detours I made it to my hotel.

WooHoo, First Class!

I competed on Thursday. It was a little windy, and by a little, I mean a lot! The gusts were about 20 mph. The temperature was great, right around 80 degrees.

This meet was a little different for me. My body was not feeling up to par. I was a little sore and tired from my previous workout cycle, and my previous week of throwing was not exactly what I wanted it to be. But, I was not going to let that stop me. I knew in the back of my mind my body would perform. It also helped that my coach, Lance Deal, was there to cheer me on, and to coach me as much as possible.

Lance is the only person that I can hear out of the crowd when I enter the ring. He gives me that last little bit on confidence I need before I step into the ring.

My warm-up throws were not the prettiest. I usually take 2 warm-up throws before the start of the meet. During my second warm up throw, I was off on my turns, so I let it go on my 3rd turn instead of my 4th. I do not like to begin a meet with a bad warm-up throw, but there was no time to throw another. I knew I could pull together a good throw during the competition.

My first throw went over 66 meters, phew. My best throw was my 5th, 67.96 meters. But this was by far one of the ugliest throws I have taken in a long time! I still have no idea how it went that far. But it did, and that is what counts. Overall, I had great energy in my throws, meaning lots of speed going into the hammer, but technique wise, it was not that good. However, I am very happy with how the meet went, and so is my coach.

A must-have when you come to Texas! Yummy!

My next meet will be Mt. SAC Relays. This is another meet that I love. I have gone to Mt. SAC relays since my sophomore year in college. One reason I love Mt. SAC, is that the hammer cage is all by itself, and I donʼt have to worry about the cage doors being to closed too much. We get a pretty good crowd down by the ring, which is encouraging.

Hope everyone had a great week and have a great weekend. My goal this weekend is to do as little as possible, I haven't done nothing in a long time.

Happy Training,

Brit