ALMOST 12 months to the day since Nicola Tuthill dislocated and fractured her elbow at the European Throwing Cup, she returned to Portugal and won a superb silver medal.
On March 13th, 2022, the Kilbrittain teenager (19) suffered the injuries in action in Leiria, and 365 days later she was back in the same venue, but enjoyed a far better experience.
The 2022 World U20 finalist threw a huge 64.44m to win a silver medal in the U23 women’s hammer last Sunday.
Nicola’s best effort was just one centimetre off her new PB of 64.45m that the UCD first year student threw at last month’s Dunboyne Throws Festival – and that effort bettered her previous best throw by more than 2.5 metres. She is also just 12 centimetres off the Irish U23 women’s record.
Ukrainian athlete Valeriya Ivanenko-Kyrylina won gold, with an effort of 65.51m in her final throw of the competition. Italian Rachele Mori (62.79m) took home the bronze medal.
With the European Athletics U23 Championships in Espoo, Finland this summer one of her targets, Nicola’s performance in Portugal is encouraging for the months ahead.
Before the Europeans she will focus on the Universities Outdoor Track and Field Championships in mid-April as the former Coláiste na Toirbhirte student looks to continue her stunning form this year.
