For Olympic pole vaulters, hammer throwers, getting there (with your equipment) is half the fun

AP Sports Writers

SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — Hammer throwers, pole vaulters, javelin hurlers, discus throwers and shot putters all have tales from the road about lugging around their equipment. Sometimes their equipment gets lost, damaged or even ruined. Sometimes security officials want to know what their equipment even is. The athletes descend on Paris to bring the “field” to Olympic track and field next week. For most of them, simply making it to the games is the dream of a lifetime. Getting their equipment there can sometimes feel like quite a triumph as well.