SE: Ingvaldsen Handles Pressure to Continue K-State’s Reputation as Hammer Throw Power
May 14, 2019 | Track & Field, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
There's pressure that comes with being ranked No. 1 going into a meet. There's pressure at a conference championship, regardless of ranking. There's pressure in becoming the leader of a group nicknamed the "Bomb Squad."
Helene Ingvaldsen does not mind pressure.
The K-State track and field junior hammer thrower proved this at the Big 12 Championship last weekend in Norman, Oklahoma. Ingvaldsen, the conference's top-ranked hammer thrower going in, won her first Big 12 outdoor title with ease. Her top mark of 60.41m/198-02 bested the second-place finisher — her teammate and roommate, Shaelyn Ward — by more than eight feet.
"There's always a lot of pressure coming in, so I felt like managed that pressure and I managed to do the best I could," Ingvaldsen said. "We had like three people over 60 (meters coming in), so I had a little pressure on me to do good."
Like many, Ingvaldsen had to learn how to handle the pressure.
The Norway native said she did so before she got to K-State. She pointed out performances at the 2013 World Youth Championships (8th) in Ukraine, the 2013 European Junior Championships (17th) in Italy and the 2014 World Junior Championships (15th) in Sweden as examples.
"There were so many where I've been ranked like No. 40 and I've been able to keep calm and still go to the finals," she said. "I think the junior competitions I've been to shaped me."
There was another element of pressure weighing on Ingvaldsen, too. There has been all season.
The past two seasons, Janee' Kassanavoid was K-State's top hammer thrower. She won outdoor conference titles in both. Before her, it was Sara Savatovic, a three-time Big 12 outdoor champion.
This year, Ingvaldsen became the group's de facto leader.
"It was my turn," she said, "and that was also some of that pressure to do well."
Like in competition, however, Ingvaldsen thrived with high expectations. Her Big 12 title added to K-State's all-time lead for hammer throw conference champions, at 11. K-State has won six of the last seven as well.
Including Ingvaldsen, the hammer throw group — dubbed the "Bomb Squad" for its depth of talent — placed four people at the Big 12 Championship. This included a second-place finish from Ward, a fourth-place outing from Taylor Latimer and a seventh-place result from Ashley Petr. Together, they scored 25 points at the Big 12 Championship. It was the second straight year the group has recorded more than 20 points at the outdoor conference meet.
"I'm really glad we could continue having that good hammer environment," Ingvaldsen said. "That was basically why I came here. I'm glad I get to do my part."
Ingvaldsen said she learned her part from the leaders before her, like Savatovic and Kassanavoid. She's tried to carry their common strengths in hopes that they produce similar results for her and her teammates.
"They are such hard-working people, very inspiring. I was mostly (training) with Janee'. Seeing her doing so good gave me inspiration to do good as well," Ingvaldsen said. "I think seeing them doing good gives me hope, that if I work as hard as them then I will also throw as good as them."
Now, Ingvaldsen said she looks at her current teammates in much the same way. She said they have made taking over any level of leadership easy. In some ways, they even lead her.
"They are my American family," she said. "It's so inspiring being in this group. They are so hard working. Every day at practice, they all want to work hard and I also want to work hard. It's a good group to be in.
"I've trained alone back in Norway; it's not motivating at all. Now that I have the people close to me and see how they're doing, it makes me a total different athlete."
There's pressure that comes with being ranked No. 1 going into a meet. There's pressure at a conference championship, regardless of ranking. There's pressure in becoming the leader of a group nicknamed the "Bomb Squad."
Helene Ingvaldsen does not mind pressure.
The K-State track and field junior hammer thrower proved this at the Big 12 Championship last weekend in Norman, Oklahoma. Ingvaldsen, the conference's top-ranked hammer thrower going in, won her first Big 12 outdoor title with ease. Her top mark of 60.41m/198-02 bested the second-place finisher — her teammate and roommate, Shaelyn Ward — by more than eight feet.
"There's always a lot of pressure coming in, so I felt like managed that pressure and I managed to do the best I could," Ingvaldsen said. "We had like three people over 60 (meters coming in), so I had a little pressure on me to do good."
Like many, Ingvaldsen had to learn how to handle the pressure.
The Norway native said she did so before she got to K-State. She pointed out performances at the 2013 World Youth Championships (8th) in Ukraine, the 2013 European Junior Championships (17th) in Italy and the 2014 World Junior Championships (15th) in Sweden as examples.
"There were so many where I've been ranked like No. 40 and I've been able to keep calm and still go to the finals," she said. "I think the junior competitions I've been to shaped me."
There was another element of pressure weighing on Ingvaldsen, too. There has been all season.
The past two seasons, Janee' Kassanavoid was K-State's top hammer thrower. She won outdoor conference titles in both. Before her, it was Sara Savatovic, a three-time Big 12 outdoor champion.
This year, Ingvaldsen became the group's de facto leader.
"It was my turn," she said, "and that was also some of that pressure to do well."
Like in competition, however, Ingvaldsen thrived with high expectations. Her Big 12 title added to K-State's all-time lead for hammer throw conference champions, at 11. K-State has won six of the last seven as well.
Including Ingvaldsen, the hammer throw group — dubbed the "Bomb Squad" for its depth of talent — placed four people at the Big 12 Championship. This included a second-place finish from Ward, a fourth-place outing from Taylor Latimer and a seventh-place result from Ashley Petr. Together, they scored 25 points at the Big 12 Championship. It was the second straight year the group has recorded more than 20 points at the outdoor conference meet.
"I'm really glad we could continue having that good hammer environment," Ingvaldsen said. "That was basically why I came here. I'm glad I get to do my part."
Ingvaldsen said she learned her part from the leaders before her, like Savatovic and Kassanavoid. She's tried to carry their common strengths in hopes that they produce similar results for her and her teammates.
"They are such hard-working people, very inspiring. I was mostly (training) with Janee'. Seeing her doing so good gave me inspiration to do good as well," Ingvaldsen said. "I think seeing them doing good gives me hope, that if I work as hard as them then I will also throw as good as them."
Now, Ingvaldsen said she looks at her current teammates in much the same way. She said they have made taking over any level of leadership easy. In some ways, they even lead her.
"They are my American family," she said. "It's so inspiring being in this group. They are so hard working. Every day at practice, they all want to work hard and I also want to work hard. It's a good group to be in.
"I've trained alone back in Norway; it's not motivating at all. Now that I have the people close to me and see how they're doing, it makes me a total different athlete."
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