Women's hammer star Nicola Tuthill facing spell out with elbow injury

RISING West Cork athletics star Nicola Tuthill is facing a spell on the sidelines after dislocating and fracturing her elbow.

The talented Kilbrittain teenager (18) suffered the injury at the recent European Throwing Cup in Portugal – but she doesn’t know yet how long she will be out of action for.

The former Irish senior women’s hammer champion (2020) was scheduled to meet a specialist in Dublin last week, as she waited to learn if she will need an operation.

It’s a big blow to the 2020 Celtic Ross Hotel West Cork Junior Sports Star who has qualified for the World Athletics U20 Championships in Colombia in early August.

Tuthill had opened the women’s U23 hammer final at the European Throwing Cup with 59.57 metres, and it was her third throw that led to her injury.

‘I only managed to have two throws, which would have been my safety throws to get a decent mark on paper. Then I went for distance on the third throw but fell in the circle,’ Tuthill explained.

She was taken to a local hospital by ambulance where she was diagnosed with a dislocated and fractured right elbow.

‘It’s very disappointing after a lot of hard work and having the A qualifying standard for the World Juniors in August,’ she said. ‘For now I’m just going to have to work with my coaches and physio and try to put a new gym and rehab plan in place and see how the healing progresses.’ 

In better news, the Bandon AC star was presented with an Athletics Ireland Juvenile 2021 Star Award recently in recognition of her success last year, and she also picked up the Matt McGrath Trophy.