NICOLA Tuthill (UCD AC) became Ireland’s first-ever medallist in European Throwing Cup history when she picked up U23 silver in Leiria 2023 and she made more history by becoming Ireland’s first-ever champion at the 2025 European Throwing Cup on Sunday.
After winning silver in the U23 hammer in 2023 as well as 2024, the Paris Olympian finally landed gold in Nicosia with a European U23 leading mark of 69.74m, just shy of her lifetime best of 70.32m.
Tuthill reached 69.70m on her second attempt which came under some threat from last year’s winner Thea Löfman from Sweden who landed the hammer at 69.06m on her third attempt.
However, Löfman only took one further throw - a foul - while Tuthill improved ever so slightly to 69.74m with her fifth attempt. She was a model of consistency all the way through the competition with six valid throws, all of which were in excess of 67 metres.
Löfman would take silver, with Germany’s Aileen Kuhn taking bronze with a best of 67.25m.
Ireland didn’t have to wait long for another medal on Sunday with World U20 medallist Oisín Joyce (Lake District AC) taking bronze in the U23 javelin competition. Joyce saved his best for last, producing a mark of 73.86m when it mattered most to secure the medal. Joyce came into the weekend ranked seventh out of the 15 competitors, having only turned 20 in late January. Gold went to Nick Thumm (GER) with a best throw of 77.09 m, with silver going to Lucio Claudio Visca (ITA) thanks to his 74.39m.
It was Anna Gavigan (Lambay Sports Academy) who set the tone for the weekend’s success with the Lambay athlete putting in the performance of life on Saturday to claim a superb silver in the U23 women’s discus competition. Gavigan threw a massive four-metre PB of 53.91m to medal, a performance that moved herself up to 4th on the Irish all-time list. France’s Marie Josee Bovele Linaka took the U23 discus gold with 57.37.
Eric Favours (Raheny Shamrock AC) posted a best throw of 19.10m to finish eighth in the senior men’s A shot put final, while Niamh Fogarty (Raheny Shamrock AC) posted a season’s best of 55.90 in the senior women’s discus to finish fourth in the B final which augurs very well for the summer season as she continues to chase down Patricia Walsh’s 57.60NR (1984).
