Britney 2014

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

One step at a time.

World famous photographer, Tim Mantoani, filmmaker Chris Park, illustrator Graham Smith and illustrator/musician Mark Matcho have teamed up with Olympic Hopeful, Britney Henry to produce a short video showcasing Britney's phenomenal hammer throw.

This is one frame from the hand painted, time lapse opening sequence. The 12 second animated sequence took 6 hours to film, frame by frame - 6 hours work for 12 seconds of film.

Britney has been hammer training for 12 years. This year at the Olympic trials she will have 3 minutes to shine. 12 years work for a 3 minute chance. Dedication, yo.










 

Reflection

Britney Henry

“And if you look at your reflection, Is it all you want it to be?” 

NIN - Right Where It Belongs.

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.

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.

I’m a fiery kind of person

“I’m a fiery kind of person and put enough pressure on myself. I don’t like to state my goal because it puts extra pressure on me, I just keep my goals in my mind.” ~ Britney Henry

Britney is competing at the Texas Relays in Austin this week. Watch her build momentum throughout the 2010 Hammer season. Get the Track and Field Hammer season schedule here.

Texas Relays
March 31st - April 3rd 2010
University of Texas
Austin, Texas

Britney's Hammer

Britney Henry by Graham Smith

It was early in the morning, the bright yellow sun was barely over the mountains behind The ARCO Olympic Training Center, in Chula Vista, California. I was meeting Britney Henry for the first time. "Welcome to my office." she shouts and waves, "Follow me, I'll show you my hammers, first."

I ran to catch up with her across the dewy grass of the Hammer Fields, to a big green tool box. She opened it, lifted a metal object out and began to explain. "Ok, these are my practice hammers, the official ones weigh 8.8 pounds, but some weigh more, or less, depending one what you are training for."

The hammer itself, looks like a cannon ball hanging from a solid steel wire. The wire is attached to the hammer on one end, and bent into a triangular handle on the other end. The whole thing is 34" long. I had never seen one before, so I thought it was pretty neat. The hammer was heavier than I thought, when she dropped one into my hands. It was bare metal, heavy, it had remnants of chipped yellow paint on the front, and there were hundreds of tiny dings and dents etched into the steel. Impressed, I hefted it back to her.

"You have to straighten the wire out, so it flies further." Britney explains, as she bends the wire handle to get a kink out. She knew I thought it was heavy.

Britney grabbed 5 them in one hand and said, "Ok, I'm ready."

"You need help with those?" I offer.

"Nope." She smiles. "Let's go!"

Britney before the throw.

Britney Henry concentrates in preparation for the Hammer throw.

Photo: Graham Smith/The Britney Henry Project: Canon Rebel xti. EF-S55-250mm f/11, 1/500 ISO 400

Olympian in Progress blog header

The Britney Henry Project is busy creating media and promotion materials in support of Britney's effort to become an Olympian. The newest piece of the puzzle is a header for her blog Olympian in Progress.

Photo/design: Graham Smith

Britney waves to her fans

Britney Henry waves to the crowd after throwing her hammer 50 times during a photo shoot at the Olympic Training Center.

Photo: Graham Smith/The Britney Henry Project: Canon Rebel xti. EF-S55-250mm f/4-5.6

Graham Smith: Illustrator

The Britney Henry Project: Illustrator

Graham Smith is an illustrator working from his studio in San Diego, California. He specializes in energetic drawings of people, brought to life with rich, earthy colors and hand made textures.

Graham Smith's illustration work is published in Rolling Stone, ESPN magazine, Paste and The Wall Street Journal. Portfolios of work can be seen on his website , recent projects and drawing can be seen on his blog.

Graham is the organizer of The Britney Henry Project, he will be creating drawings, illustrations and designs to facilitate the promotion of Britney Henry and the artists work she inspires.

Website: Illustration Portfolio

Blog: Inkdrawing

The Britney Henry Project

Britney Henry - Olympic Hopeful

There was dew on the grass at 8 am when Britney Henry stepped into the hammer ring at at the Arco Olympic Training Center. She trains there six days a week, hoping to earn her spot on the US Track and Field Team and compete in the 2012 Olympics. The field was empty and quiet that morning, the sound broken only by the slap of feet on the concrete ring, Britney' s powerful yell propelling the 8.8 pound hammer 220 feet down field, and the deep thud as the hammer smashes craters into the dirt.

The Britney Henry Project inaugurated their launch with a photo shoot at the Arco Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California on Sunday, November 15th 2009.

Team Members:

1. Britney Henry - Olympic hopeful, Hammer Throw
   
2. Andrei Booriakin - DSLR film maker
3. Brent Haywood - still photographer
4. Graham Smith - illustrator / designer
5. Dawn Vitale - web marketing
6. Christoph Biehn - DSLR film maker, second unit
7. Jay Lomahan - still photographer, second unit