A man has been killed in a freak hammer throwing accident at a Highland Games event in the Netherlands. According to the New York Post, the incident took place on Sunday (7 August) at Geldrop Castle. The 65-year-old was touring the castle when the 22-pound metal ball thrown by a contestant during the tournament went over a wall and struck him. An air ambulance and other emergency services at the scene were unable to rescue the man, police said, adding that they are investigating the incident.
A witness was quoted by the After: “The pendulum dropped, we saw the ball go over the hedge and then we heard a woman screaming very loudly. It wasn’t a spectator… so he didn’t see the ball coming at all.”
The identity of the tourist has not been released. The emergency services tried to resuscitate, but he could not be resuscitated, according to the Brabant police.
The sporting event was canceled after the tragic incident, the After report said.
The Highland Games
According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, the Highland Games were originally athletic gatherings in the Scottish Highlands. The games originated in impromptu matches at clan assemblies convened by the chiefs for hunting, military exercises and conducting clan affairs in general, it further said.
An uprising in 1745 put an end to these meetings. Modern Scottish athletics began 90 years later. There are currently about 40 large gatherings and gatherings in Scotland alone.
The hammer throw has been a traditional feature of the games since ancient times.
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