Katie Pegg, a resident of Markham, Ontario, achieved a personal best in the women’s shot put event at her second Para athletics world championships. Pegg secured a bronze medal with a throw of 12.76 meters on her final attempt, surpassing her previous best at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. The 21-year-old kicked off the F46 final with an 11.48-meter throw and ultimately finished ahead of 10 other competitors.
Expressing her joy, Pegg mentioned, “I just went out there, threw a heavy ball really far and I had fun. I didn’t put too much pressure on myself.” She credited her hard work leading up to the event, stating, “We’ve been working so hard to get to this very day. Today, walking to that circle, I was ready to go out there and just do the best I could.”
Pegg achieved a personal milestone by surpassing the 12-meter mark five times during the final. She exceeded her previous season’s best of 11.75 meters by a significant margin of 43 centimeters, securing the bronze medal position. Pegg acknowledged the impact of her training with coach Jodi Langley, mentioning, “In our training camp, I had thrown 12.50 meters. Walking into [Thursday’s final] I didn’t know what was going to happen. I did enough inside and even outside, in terms of gym and work with my coach, and it paid off.”
This victory marks Pegg as the first field athlete from Canada to claim a medal at the championships in India. She joins Austin Smeenk from Oakville, Ontario, who won a bronze in men’s 400 T34, and Marissa Papaconstantinou from Toronto, who also secured bronze in women’s 100 T64.
Karomat Omonova of Uzbekistan clinched the gold with a throw of 13.07 meters, setting an Asian record, while Holly Robinson of New Zealand took the silver with a throw of 12.86 meters, establishing an Oceanic record. The F46 classification is designated for athletes with a single amputation below or above the elbow.
Born without a radial bone in her right forearm, Pegg is currently pursuing her fourth year of studies in biology and forensic science at St. Mary’s University in Halifax. She made her international debut in February 2024 in Dubai, where she clinched gold with a throw of 11.15 meters. Pegg also made her worlds debut three months later in Kobe, Japan, finishing fifth.
Despite facing challenges, Pegg’s determination and hard work have propelled her to success in the world of Para athletics. She continues to inspire others with her perseverance and dedication to her sport.