Rudy Winkler is the assistant coach for throws for the University of Maryland track and field/cross country program in College Park, Maryland, a position he joined before the 2023-24 season. A standout hammer and weight throw athlete at the collegiate and international levels, he arrived at Maryland after building an accomplished competitive career that included qualification for three Olympic Games.
Winkler is the NACAC area record holder and American record holder in the hammer throw with a best of 82.71 meters (271-4), and he owns a personal best of 23.32 meters (76-6) in the weight throw. He won U.S. national hammer titles in 2016 and 2020 and also claimed victories at the 2016 and 2020 United States Olympic Trials. At the Olympic level, he competed in Rio in 2016, Tokyo in 2021, and Paris in 2024. His best Olympic finish came in 2024, when he placed sixth in the hammer throw final with 77.92 meters after previously finishing 18th in 2016 and seventh in 2021. He also competed in four World Championships from 2017 through 2023, with a top finish of sixth in 2022.
