The hammer throw is not necessarily an event that you would closely associate with Irish athletes, so it was encouraging to see that Team Ireland had the youngest representative in the field for today's women's heat at the Olympics in Paris.
Cork's Nicola Tuthill would make her Olympic debut this morning, with the 20-year old the most junior member of the women's field for the hammer throw.
While she would not manage to book a place in the final, she would produce a more than respectable performance. Her top mark of 69.90 metres was just shy of her personal best.
Paris 2024: Nicola Tuthill falls just short in her efforts to make the final of the women's hammer throw. She throws for 68.87m in the second round and 69.90 in the third, but just misses out on qualifying.#RTESport #Paris2024
📺 Watch https://t.co/XnOP6grnB7
📱Updates… pic.twitter.com/IhUE2m4eBM— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 4, 2024
It was not enough for Tuthill to make the final, but her finish of 16th overall in the field was incredibly impressive for someone of her relative inexperience.
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The hammer throw is an event that quite often tends to favour older athletes, ones who possess a wealth of strength and experience built up after years of competing at the highest level. The fact that Nicola Tuthill is already performing to this standard at such a young age certainly bodes well for the future.
While she would have loved to make the final, she enjoyed every moment of her Olympic experience.
Speaking to RTÉ after the event, Nicola Tuthill produced a heartwarming interview as she summed up her time in Paris.
Paris 2024: Irish hammer thrower Nicola Tuthill may have missed out on the final but she's relished every minute of her first Olympic games and she hopes to be back for more in four years.#RTESport #Paris2024
📺 Watch https://t.co/XnOP6grnB7
📱Updates https://t.co/3UwmvDdtCu pic.twitter.com/Glc6xwnbpF— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 4, 2024
It's amazing, the stadium is so full, it's just so loud like! Such a good crowd, it's amazing...
I'm only 20, I was the youngest one in the field there for hammer. To be here is amazing.
The first throw didn't go my way, so I was a little bit stressed. I was like 'oh my god, I have to get one out now'. To be able to put out a 68m and 69m, I'm so happy now...
I've had such a good year, I made the Olympics which is pretty cool! It's been such a good year and now I can keep building hopefully...
My parents, my aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, so many people came over. To be able to throw close to my best for everyone who travelled over, the Irish crowd in the stadium is amazing, there are so many Irish crowds in every corner.
Fair play to her.
At just 20-years old, you get the sense that Nicola Tuthill will have quite a few more Olympic experiences still to come.
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