Canceled: Anthem-Protester Gwen Berry Fails to Medal at Olympics
Gwen Berry, a U.S. Olympic hammer thrower who turned away from the American flag during the playing of the national anthem, failed to medal during finals on Tuesday.
According to the New York Post, Berry finished in eleventh place out of twelve competitors, registering a distance of 71.35 meters.
In June, Berry made headlines when she snubbed the American flag during the national anthem after finishing third at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials in Oregon. In addition, she pulled out a back t-shirt that read “Activist Athlete” as she covered her face.
(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Following the trials, Berry told reporters that she was “set up” with the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner.
“I feel like it was a set-up, and they did it on purpose,” Berry said of the anthem being played. “I was pissed, to be honest.”
“The anthem doesn’t speak for me,” Berry added. “It never has. I didn’t really want to be up there. Like I said, it was a setup. I was hot. I was ready to take my pictures and get into some shade.”
Earlier this week, before she failed to medal, Berry vowed to protest against the United States on the medal stand to “represent the oppressed peoples.”
(Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
During an interview after she made it through the qualifying round in Tokyo, Berry insisted that she has “earned the right” to protest.
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