Hi and welcome to the United Kingdom Javelin Association website!
Here we aim to bring you the latest news regarding Javelin throwing in the UK, but in addition to that support the event by providing, workshops, masterclasses, training days, competitions and much more...
With such an exciting year ahead and not forgetting the build up to London 2012 for so many athletes this year, we thought it would be great to include a feature on the UKJA website to some of the most exciting prospects in British Javelin throwing. So here are a few to keep an eye out for:
James Campbell
Season's Best - 80.18m / Personal Best - 80.38m
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Brett Byrd
Season's Best - 60.25m / Personal Best - 71.83m
Hi, my names Brett Byrd and I'm twenty one and a self-employed electrician. I first started throwing when I was in school in year 8, 7 years ago. I was doing javelin in a P.E. lesson and I picked up the javelin and threw it and it just felt really natural to me. So from there I continued throwing in the school competitions and I progressed into the county scene where I was throwing for the Staffordshire schools team at the English schools championships. Then from there I got selected for the England schools team which I was over the moon with and I decided to commit to it and I went from strength to strength. Then as I started to throw further I started to get invited to the bigger better competitions such as the UK schools games, the UK throwsfests, The AAA's, Loughborough international and the European trials and championships.
What are your goals for 2011?
" I am aiming to throw over 75 meters this season and i would throwing towards getting selected for the under 23's Europeans. Also to stay injury free and in good health through out the season."
What has been your best achievement to date?
"My best achievement is winning the all England athletics championships and coming second in the European trials and championship."
Who has been the greatest inspiration to you during your career?
"Mainly Steve Backley watching him throw while I was young but also the coaches I have had through the years and still got. (Phill Owen, and now David Parker and Tony Williams)"
Which thrower do you look up to and most admire (i.e. who is your idol)?
"For the throwing technique and mental attitude it is Andreas Thorkildsen."
How did you become involved in the Javelin Throw?
"While I was in school in a P.E. lesson. Then I progressed on to joining clubs and started getting coaching and then getting more advanced coaching to get me where I am today."
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in the event?
"My advice would be to them is that its not easy and it's going to take a lot of hard work and determination and also commitment. But if you have the mind set and you are willing to do it you could do really well."
Matti Mortimore
Season's Best - 63.33m / Personal Best - 70.60m
What are your goals for 2011?
"My goals for the 2011 season as long as im healthy (no back problems!) is to throw 75m and to compete at the European u20 athletics championships."
What has been your best achievement to date?
"My last year u15 was rather successful for me and I broke the British u15 record which has been my greatest achievement (which has now been succeed by 2 much more talented athletes then myself!) and have loved throwing ever since."
Who has been the greatest inspiration to you during your career?
"For me it was someone closer to home, my coach at the time Nigel Bevan was a good inspiration for me."
Which thrower do you look up to and most admire (i.e. who is your idol)?
"I followed javelin throwing internationally very vigorously and did a lot of research into the past greats of the event. But through that time I never really had anyone I looked up to or sought to be like. There were so many great athletes I respected them all so much."
How did you become involved in the Javelin Throw?
"I got into javelin throwing when I threw my javelin over my P.E teachers head in a year 7 lesson. I took it as a good sign and went to my local athletics club where I met my first coach, Nigel Bevan. To his frustration and my own, my technique didn't get any better for a little over a year, but in the winter I came home and threw every single night until I found my rhythm"
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in the event?
"For any up and coming javelin throwers, just throw whenever you want to and as much as you can! You need to find your rhythm and it takes thousands of throws. It worked for me so I hope it works for you, good luck!"
Benji Pearson
Season's Best - 67.22m / Personal Best - 67.22m
Throwing has always been part of my life. Ever since I was a child I used to go throwing with my dad and at about 5 I had my first wooden discus made. Whenever my dad had a throwing session I used to go along and have a play. The javelin however I was introduced to a bit later on in life. Between the ages of 9 and 11 I used to throw regularly, but at the ages of 12 I had a lot of elbow trouble so had to take a break for quite a while. My throwing career so far has been hampered with injury and it has only been the last year in which I’ve been fit enough to really compete.
Last year I had to make a decision between Rugby and throwing. I played a reasonable high level of rugby playing for the midlands and also playing for Worcester EPDG which didn’t make the decision easy. I eventually chose throwing and this winter has been the first winter I have solely focused on javelin throwing so hopefully there are bigger and better things to come.
What are your goals for 2011?
"One of my main goals this season is to stay injury free and to try and string a few competitions together. Last season I wasn’t able to throw a great deal due to my elbow being pinned. Injury’s aside I hope to throw at least 70 with the 800g and 77ish with the 700g, but my main goal is to try and compete in the world youths with the 700g javelin."
What has been your best achievement to date?
"In the javelin I wouldn’t say I have achieved a great deal yet because I was out of action two years with an elbow injury and I have only had a handful of competitions at the end of the season. In my own mind my greatest achievement has to be teaching myself how to throw a discus during the period I couldn’t throw the javelin. Now I am arguably just as good as the javelin. "
Who has been the greatest inspiration to you during your career?
"My greatest inspiration so far has to be my Dad. He was an international thrower from the eighties throwing 88.80 in 1985.He never quite made it on the Olympic stage due to injury, but I hope to continue where he finished off."
Which thrower do you look up to and most admire (i.e. who is your idol)?
"It has to be Mac Wilkins. I admire him because he is the founder of the modern discus technique which most of the technique today is based on. "
How did you become involved in the Javelin Throw?
"I was first introduced to javelin throwing at the age of nine by my Dad. John Moogan was the first person to ever take note of me and it was when he started to help me that my javelin career started. On my 12 birthday John rang up my dad without ever meeting me asking if he could coach me. I started meeting him every couple of weeks or so for sessions and that’s when my throwing really started to make some improvements.
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What advice would you give to someone just starting out in the event?
"From my own experiences and my Dads experiences in throwing with injuries I would tell a new athlete to remember how stressful javelin throwing is on the body. I would recommend to any new throwers to the event that more is not always better. Don’t get to keen in throwing javelins hours on end because your body only has a limited throws in it and you should save them for when they are really needed!"
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Thomas Peters
Season's Best - 64.72m / Personal Best - 64.72m
What are your goals for 2011?
"My goals for 2011 are to win at English Schools Championships. The next goal is to throw the javelin over 70 meters and to win AAAs Championships, and to continue progressing in my training."
What has been your best achievement to date?
"My best achievement to date is my throw of 64.74 meters last season at AAAs Championships."
Who has been the greatest inspiration to you during your career?
"The greatest inspiration to me so far is my Father Lee Peters, for his encouragement and support which he shows to me; he takes me training to Sheffield in all weathers and never moans."
Which thrower do you look up to and most admire (i.e. who is your idol)?
"I have many throwers which I look up to however the one I admire the most and aim to be like is Andreas Thorkildson."
How did you become involved in the Javelin Throw?
"I became involved in the Javelin from a very young age I was 9 years old, my Father started coaching me and also my older brother Luke Peters who was a good athlete himself."
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in the event?
"The advice I would give to any young athlete starting throwing the javelin is to find a good coach, which I have. My coach now is David Parker whom I also look up to and admire. I would advise anyone to learn the event by watching videos of throwers and also take your training seriously as there is no pain no gain."
Jonathan Pownall
Season's Best - 50.14m / Personal Best - 50.14m
Jonathan picked up his first javelin at age 11 at school in early 2010. He had been good with a cricket ball before then, but had always fancied trying the real thing. With success at school, he agreed to try some proper coaching at local Marshall Milton Keynes AC, where Mum and Dad were already club members. He found a welcome in the javelin training group with coach Chris Watts and learned quickly. In his first competitive throw he found himself no. 2 on the 2010 U13 rankings. By the end of the season he was no. 1, with a best of 43.26. So far he has not had the opportunity of major competitions, but with an opening gambit of 50.14 in his first U15 season, still aged 12, the future looks promising.
What are your goals for 2011?
"Just adding the distance for now – 57m is the new target."
What has been your best achievement to date?
"50.14 with a 600g javelin was a 6m personal best, and is the UK best for a 12 year old."
Who has been the greatest inspiration to you during your career?
"Coach Chris Watts has taught him everything he knows. “He’s very observant, and good at telling me what will make a difference,” says Jonathan. He was also rather impressed by meeting Mick Hill and getting the benefit of his experience during the UKJA launch and Carnival last year."
Which thrower do you look up to and most admire (i.e. who is your idol)?
"The first athlete to take Jonathan under his wing when he arrived for his first training session was Sam Taylor-Outridge. Sam is still only eighteen himself, and a top-ten junior. His friendly welcome and obvious talent continue to inspire Jonathan to follow in his footsteps."
How did you become involved in the Javelin Throw?
"Success at school suggested a talent worth developing with some proper coaching."
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in the event?
"Find a good coach."
Goldie Sayers
Season's Best - 0.00m / Personal Best - 65.75m
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Laura Whittingham
Season's Best - 0.00m / Personal Best - 60.68m
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Hollie Arnold
Season's Best - 32.45m / Personal Best - 34.22m
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Tesni Ward
Season's Best - 50.58m / Personal Best - 50.58m
I started athletics in my school PE lessons; I always used to beat the boys & teachers so they sent me to my local athletics club. Within the week I was entered into the Midlands indoors multi-events championships everything moved on from there. I enjoyed throwing over the other events, so decided to specialise to shot, discus & javelin rather than multi events. I spent a couple of years with a running coach & multi events coach, before finding specialist coaches when I was 16/17. I finally started to develop my technique and strength. When I moved to university I also changed coach for javelin. I am now coached by David Parker for javelin and my S&C & Ivan Washington for discus, training several times a week. I no longer compete in the shot as I want to dedicate my time to discus & javelin.
What are your goals for 2011?
"I want to qualify for the European U23 championships as my main championship to aim for this year. It would be a great experience to represent GB overseas. "
What has been your best achievement to date?
"It would probably be representing GB in 2 events last year. Although the competition wasnt that big it was still a great day and & I had a great time being part of the team for the first time. "
Who has been the greatest inspiration to you during your career?
"There hasnt been a specific person who has inspired me in my career, there have been many people in my career and my life who have inspired me to be the best I can be in any given path I choose to take in my life. Things like watching people overcome the odds to win medals, seeing London win the bid for the 2012 Olympics & watching the Olympics and world championships on the TV all combine together to continue to inspire me. "
Which thrower do you look up to and most admire (i.e. who is your idol)?
"Barbora Spotakova would probably come on top. Watching her world record throw live was very inspiring. "
How did you become involved in the Javelin Throw?
"I started athletics in my school PE lessons; I always used to beat the boys & teachers so they sent me to my local athletics club, Worksop Harriers. Within the week I was entered into the Midlands indoors multi-events championships everything moved on from there."
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in the event?
"Be patient. Javelin is a very technical event and it can take years to get it right. It cant always go the way you want it to and everyone has off days. Stick to it and your perseverance will pay out in the end!"
