BY SEÁN HOLLAND
NICOLA Tuthill’s growing fan club includes her pioneering predecessor, Eileen O'Keeffe.
As the Kilbrittain hammer thrower prepares for her Olympic debut this Sunday in the qualification stage of her event at the Stade de France, she is following in the footsteps of Kilkenny woman O'Keeffe, the current national record holder and the first Irish woman to compete in the hammer at the Olympics.
O'Keeffe spoke to The Southern Star about 20-year-old Tuthill's remarkable rise in the sport and the potential impact she could have on the future of hammer throwing in Ireland.
‘When I heard how brilliant she was doing, I sent her a card wishing her all the best in her career and congratulating her on her amazing success,’ O'Keeffe recalls. ‘It's great to see someone up and coming in the discipline I once loved to carry on the future of the sport.’
When asked what qualities make Tuthill stand out as a hammer thrower, O'Keeffe highlighted her dedication and natural talent.
‘Nicola is obviously a hard-working, determined lady with amazing talent and commitment. She is willing to make the sacrifices needed to make it on the world stage,’ O'Keeffe points out.
The Irish record holder also sees Tuthill's success as a catalyst for the growth of hammer throwing in Ireland.
‘Like all things in life, success breeds success. With Nicola bringing women's hammer throwing to the forefront in Ireland, this will, in turn, contribute to the future of the sport by getting young girls and boys to try it, maybe unleashing a talent they never knew they had,’ O'Keeffe explains.
Eileen O’Keeffe set the Irish national hammer throw record in 2007.
O'Keeffe’s monster throw of 73.21 metres in the 2007 national championships still stands as an Irish national record – Tuthill’s PB stands at 70.32m – but her introduction to the sport came later in life.
‘I was late discovering hammer throw at 17 years of age. I learned the technique from a video that my brother came across in a pound shop at the time. The video was of an American Olympic champion Hal Connolly who put the basics of the technique and some drills to learn to help perfect the event,’ she explains.
Reflecting on her own journey, O'Keeffe sees many similarities with Tuthill’s path.
‘I have a similar background to Nicola in that I grew up on a farm and my own dad built me a hammer circle to train on,’ she says.
‘There were constant barriers for me to be able to throw in athletics stadiums as soccer was a priority and keeping the pitches in good shape with no holes from the hammer.’
O'Keeffe notes the improved support structures now available to athletes like Tuthill are extremely beneficial to their growth.
‘I'm so glad to see that facilities and coaching have improved a lot and that there are such great structures in place supporting young athletes nowadays. It's great to see Nicola has such an amazing team around her helping her maximise her talents,’ O’Keeffe says.
As Tuthill gets ready to step onto the Olympic stage, O'Keeffe offers some advice drawn from her own experiences. The Kilkenny woman reflected on her own career, which was marked by an injury that ultimately ended her athletic journey.
‘Becoming an Olympian is one of the greatest achievements for any sporting athlete, but sport can be cruel, so savour these moments as there's no guarantee where an athlete will be by the time the next Olympics comes round,’ O'Keeffe cautions.
‘When I finished sixth in the World Championships in 2007, 2008 looked like I was going to go further but it wasn't the way it ended up. Weeks before the Beijing Olympics I picked up a cartilage tear injury to my knee that affected my performance hugely at the Olympics.
‘I thought I would have the London Olympics to get my chance again to perform to my ability but little did I know that injury was the ending of my career. So as regards advice for Nicola, I would say listen to your body and recover well. Time is on her side and she shouldn’t feel like she has to do it all today. Enjoy each moment as you go.’
