Dan McKIM and his flying hammers: TWO world records in 2014

20 décembre 2014

"If I had a hammer,
I'd hammer in the morning
I'd hammer in the evening,
All over this land.
I'd hammer out danger,
I'd hammer out a warning,
I'd hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land"

There is no need for Dan Mc KIM, one of the high-flyiers at the Bressuire Worlds next year, to sing Pete Seeger's song.

He has a hammer in the morning, in the evening and he uses it well.

Very well!

And he sends it flying far away...

Further and further away!

Two birds with a stone, two records with a hammer

And he has just proved it in 2014 after breaking two world records at the same Utah Highland Games last June.

And Francis BREBNER, the IHGF president, was very impressed in his post for IRONMIND

"Dan McKim, the current number one ranked Highland Games athlete in the world, made history once again this past weekend at the Utah Highland Games breaking both the 22-lb. and 16-lb. hammer world records, with colossal distances of 132’ 10-1/4” in the 22-lb. hammer and 157’ 7-1/4” in the 16-lb. hammer.

"The greatest hammer-thrower of all time"

Only a month before, at the Rio Grande Valley Highland Games in New Mexico, McKim set a new world record in the 22-lb. hammer with a throw of 129’ 11-1/2”, a record previously held by Matt Sandford of Australia of 129’ 10” which he set at the Halkirk Highland Games in Scotland in 1997.

So far this season McKim has been unstoppable, coming out with all guns blazing. Several throws with the 16-lb. hammer had come very close to the world record of 156’ 8-1/2” established by Scotland’s Bruce Aitkin in Aboyne, Scotland in 2000.

But this weekend it was destiny and divinity for McKim as both hammers fell together, validating McKim as the greatest hammer thrower of all time.

After the hammer...the W.F.D?

The 56-lb. weight-for-distance was McKim’s second win, a personal best and a world-class throw of 47’ 5”.

The current world record is held by USA’s Eric Frasure at 49’ 10”, for comparison.

The 28-lb. weight-for-distance was history in the making as McKim let fly with a series of throws, starting with 87’ 5”, a foul of 88’ 6’, and a good throw at 91’ 9”.

With three extra attempts, McKim upped the ante to 94’ 9-1/4” to set a new North American record, besting the former record of 94’ 2” held by Matt Vincent since 2012.

McKim’s distance was within 1’ of the world record held by Scotland’s Gregor Edmunds of 95’ 10”.

McKim has been improving games after games, churning out field and world records at nearly every competition he participates in.

Now, adding two world records in the hammers at a single games, as well as knocking on the door of both weight-for-distance world records, there is no doubt in my mind that here is man who is still improving and will turn out to be the greatest heavyweight athlete of all time!

"I have a dream" by Martin Luther KIM

Definitely the dream has come true for the Martin Luther KIM of the Highland Games:

“I never dreamed I would be doing this, in this position. We can make all our plans and dreams but when God takes over, it just blows you away with what He can do.”

But the dream is not over and the blogger also has a dream

"I have a dream that all the spectators at the château will see new Bressuire records broken during the IHGF World Championship on June 13, 14".