For the first time ever, Canada is entering the World Athletics Championships with four defending world champs, including Nanaimo’s Ethan Katzberg.

Katzberg is a hammer tosser who took home first place at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, and who claimed the gold medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The Nanaimo talent was the first Canadian ever to win a hammer throw world title, just days before fellow Canadian Camryn Rogers also won the women’s event in 2023.

His performance that year made him the youngest man to win a hammer throw world title, at 21 years old.

The upcoming 2025 World Athletics Championships take place in Tokyo from Sept. 13 to 21.

Some 2,000 athletes from roughly 200 countries will participate in the competitions.

Katzberg joins three other defending world cham

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