Representing Ireland in the hammer at this years Olympic Games, three times Irish National Champion Nichola Tuthill will become Ireland's second ever female hammer Olympian - preceded by Eileen O'Keeffe in Beijing in 2008. She is still only 20 years old.
Early Success and National Recognition
From Kilbrittain, just south of Bandon, Nicola initially did a lot of running as youngster with Bandon AC. However, her path changed when she was introduced to hammer throw at a summer camp organised by the club. It was at a neighbour’s daughter's communion where fate intervened, a chance encounter with Kevin Warner, a former Irish hammer throw athlete, led to him becoming her coach. Since then, her rise in the sport accelerated rapidly.
In 2019, to support her Junior Cert studies and due to the distance to the nearest hammer cage, her father built one on their family farm, allowing her to continue progressing and steadily increasing her throwing distance throughout the year.
Fast forward to 2020, and the home-built hammer cage proved instrumental for Nicola’s training due to the disruptions caused by COVID-19. It allowed her to continue her training uninterrupted, with remote support from her coaches. Throughout this time she was supported tirelessly by her family—her father maintaining the cage and her mother steadfast through all weather—Nicola's progress continued.
In August of that year, her major breakthrough occurred at the age of just 16, grabbing headlines by winning the national senior athletics championships with a personal best throw of 60.04 metres, and breaking the Irish U18 women’s hammer throwing record in the process.
Overcoming Adversity and International Recognition
Nicola's trajectory continued upward in 2021, breaking the 60-metre mark multiple times and achieving a personal best of 61.55 metres. She also competed in the European U-20 Championships in Estonia, but did not advance to the final.
There was a rocky start for Nicola in 2022. During the European Throwing Cup in Portugal she tripped mid throw and dislocated and fractured her elbow. Enduring a four-month hiatus due to a painstaking rehab process, she made a triumphant return at the U-20 nationals, clinching yet another national title and securing a spot at the World U20 Championships in Colombia. Just three weeks later, Nicola qualified for the final of that competition, finishing in the middle of the field. It was a remarkable achievement considering the severity of her injury and her extended absence from the 2022 season.
That autumn saw her enter University College Dublin to study science, joining the ranks of Irish top athletes on the prestigious Ad Astra scholarship.
Nicola's 2023 season was a whirlwind of impressive performances and record-breaking moments in hammer throwing. Resting the ghosts of the previous year, she made history as the first Irish athlete to medal at the 2023 European Throwing Cup in March, securing the silver medal.
At the European Athletics Team Championships in June, she clinched second place with a colossal throw of 67.85m, propelling her to second on Ireland's all-time senior list. Not stopping there, less than a fortnight later she dominated the U-23 national event in Tullamore, winning the competition with throw that was a whopping 17.93 metres ahead of her closest rival.
A jam packed July schedule saw Tuthill making the final of the U23 European Championships in Estonia, finishing just outside the podium in 4th. She then won her second national senior title at Santry, capping an outstanding season for her.
Road to Paris Olympics 2024
Heading into the 2024 season with Paris undoubtedly foremost on her mind, at a meet in Slovakia, Nicola laid down a serious marker with a throw of 70.32m, breaking the 70m barrier for the first time. Eileen O'Keeffes national record of 73.21m was getting closer.
In June, she represented Ireland at the European Athletics Championships in Rome. Tuthill advanced to the final, finishing a respectable 9th with two throws surpassing the 69-metre mark.
At the nationals a few weeks later, Nicola added her third senior title to her repertoire, boosting her Olympic qualification prospects. On July 2nd, Tuthill’s qualification for the Paris Olympics was confirmed after securing the 29th spot out of 32 places in the Olympic quota.
Conclusion
Looking ahead to Nicola Tuthill’s Olympic debut in Paris, the trajectory of her career has been marked by her remarkable dedication buoyed by unwavering support from her family and community. At just 20 years old, Nicola has already achieved unprecedented success in Irish hammer throwing, setting records and clinching national titles.
As she prepares for the global stage in Paris, it's clear her journey is far from over. With throwers typically reaching their peak in their late 20s or early 30s, Nicola's potential remains vast, promising even greater achievements in the years ahead.
As we anticipate her performance on the Olympic stage, we are confident that her best is yet to come.
We wish her every success.
Image: Perri Williams