SE: Ingvaldsen Back at Her Best in the Hammer Throw
Apr 28, 2021 | Track & Field, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
Ask Helene Ingvaldsen and it's pretty simple.
She just wants to become the best version of herself. The path to get there is where things get interesting.
First, Ingvaldsen worked to become one of the best young throwers in Norway and earn a scholarship to Kansas State. Then, she won two Big 12 championships and landed on a pair of All-American teams, breaking the Norwegian national weight throw record along the way.
But in 2020, Ingvaldsen found herself struggling to stay motivated.
"Last year, I kind of felt like I was finished," she said. "This was as good as I was going to get."
That was right around the time when COVID-19 reset the clock on her senior year. With another 12 months to prepare for the outdoor track season, Ingvaldsen decided to keep throwing.
The results speak for themselves.
Ingvaldsen won the women's hammer throw at the Michael Johnson Invitational at Baylor earlier this month. That came after she reached a new PR at the Jim Click Invitational in Arizona.
Her sport is all about peaking at the right time, and with the conference championships in Manhattan just three weeks away, Ingvaldsen is right on schedule.
It helps to train with a group of throwers who are no stranger to success in the Big 12.
"Ashley Petr and Shaelyn Ward motivate me every day," Ingvaldsen said. "They're hard workers as well. We're always helping each other out."
Over the summer, Ingvaldsen brought a new focus to the throwing events. More specifically, she decided to focus almost exclusively on the hammer throw.
"Every year that I've been here, I trained really hard," Ingvaldsen said. "But this year, you know the saying, 'Train smarter, not harder'? This summer, when everything was shut down, I really focused on the technique of the hammer."
Her commitment would have been impressive if Ingvaldsen was a freshman trying to break into the event. But this was a Big 12 champion looking to defend her title in the hammer throw and rediscover her passion for the sport. And that means channeling Eminem.
"It was about one shot and one opportunity," she said. "I'm just going to train really hard for a year and then be happy about what I did. I focused on hammer the whole time and I think that's what helped me PR this season."
Ingvaldsen describes herself as a very competitive person, not surprising for a former handball player back in Norway.
The same traits that drew her to the throwing events made returning in 2021 an easy decision.
"If I'm going to stop throwing hammer when I graduate from K-State, I want to be at my best," she said. "That's the thing that drives me, and my family who have been very supportive."
On the home stretch of the regular season, Ingvaldsen will have a chance to prove how much progress she's made at the Big 12 Championships in Manhattan next month.
Her postgrad plans are set, as Ingvaldsen will head to England to pursue her master's degree in Marketing at the University of East Anglia in Norwich.
A quick stopover for the NCAA Championships in Oregon? She wouldn't be mad about it.
"I've been to Oregon twice and those are the most fun meets I've ever been too. It's a whole different atmosphere," Ingvaldsen said. "With this extra year, I really want to turn it around. I think I'm a completely different person."
Ask Helene Ingvaldsen and it's pretty simple.
She just wants to become the best version of herself. The path to get there is where things get interesting.
First, Ingvaldsen worked to become one of the best young throwers in Norway and earn a scholarship to Kansas State. Then, she won two Big 12 championships and landed on a pair of All-American teams, breaking the Norwegian national weight throw record along the way.
But in 2020, Ingvaldsen found herself struggling to stay motivated.
"Last year, I kind of felt like I was finished," she said. "This was as good as I was going to get."
That was right around the time when COVID-19 reset the clock on her senior year. With another 12 months to prepare for the outdoor track season, Ingvaldsen decided to keep throwing.
The results speak for themselves.
Ingvaldsen won the women's hammer throw at the Michael Johnson Invitational at Baylor earlier this month. That came after she reached a new PR at the Jim Click Invitational in Arizona.
Her sport is all about peaking at the right time, and with the conference championships in Manhattan just three weeks away, Ingvaldsen is right on schedule.
It helps to train with a group of throwers who are no stranger to success in the Big 12.
"Ashley Petr and Shaelyn Ward motivate me every day," Ingvaldsen said. "They're hard workers as well. We're always helping each other out."
Over the summer, Ingvaldsen brought a new focus to the throwing events. More specifically, she decided to focus almost exclusively on the hammer throw.
"Every year that I've been here, I trained really hard," Ingvaldsen said. "But this year, you know the saying, 'Train smarter, not harder'? This summer, when everything was shut down, I really focused on the technique of the hammer."
Her commitment would have been impressive if Ingvaldsen was a freshman trying to break into the event. But this was a Big 12 champion looking to defend her title in the hammer throw and rediscover her passion for the sport. And that means channeling Eminem.
"It was about one shot and one opportunity," she said. "I'm just going to train really hard for a year and then be happy about what I did. I focused on hammer the whole time and I think that's what helped me PR this season."
Ingvaldsen describes herself as a very competitive person, not surprising for a former handball player back in Norway.
The same traits that drew her to the throwing events made returning in 2021 an easy decision.
"If I'm going to stop throwing hammer when I graduate from K-State, I want to be at my best," she said. "That's the thing that drives me, and my family who have been very supportive."
On the home stretch of the regular season, Ingvaldsen will have a chance to prove how much progress she's made at the Big 12 Championships in Manhattan next month.
Her postgrad plans are set, as Ingvaldsen will head to England to pursue her master's degree in Marketing at the University of East Anglia in Norwich.
A quick stopover for the NCAA Championships in Oregon? She wouldn't be mad about it.
"I've been to Oregon twice and those are the most fun meets I've ever been too. It's a whole different atmosphere," Ingvaldsen said. "With this extra year, I really want to turn it around. I think I'm a completely different person."
Players Mentioned
K-State Tennis | Weekend Recap
Tuesday, February 24
K-State Track and Field | Sights & Sounds Steve Miller Invitational
Monday, February 23
K-State Baseball | Highlights vs Michigan - Feb. 22, 2026
Monday, February 23
K-State Men's Basketball | Postgame Press Conference at Texas Tech
Sunday, February 22
