NICOLA Tuthill’s drive is one of her most impressive qualities. She always wants more. So, to throw three efforts over 72 metres in front of her home crowd at the Cork City Sports felt like another step forward.

The Kilbrittain hammer thrower finished second, only bettered by the current Olympic and world champion.

‘I'm delighted with the consistency of the performance,’ Tuthill said.

‘To throw over 72 three times in a competition is the next step for me.

‘I'm always looking for that tiny bit extra so I am really pleased to have a consistent performance.’

Tuthill, who threw her personal best of 72.73m at the end of last month, had three monster efforts over 72 metres here – 72.32m, 72.35m and 72.12m.

Canada’s Camryn Rogers – the best in the world – took top spot on the podium with her huge second round effort of 76.16 metres, a meeting record for the Cork City Sports, a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meet.

But for Tuthill, this was another impressive performance as she builds towards her title defence at the national championships ahead of the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham next month.

Nicola Tuthill (second place) with event winner and Canadian Camryn Rogers (centre) and Britain's Charlotte Payne (third). (Photo: Martin Walsh)

‘The crowd here is amazing,’ she said.

‘I've so many memories being here as a kid myself so to be throwing and having people cheering for me is pretty cool. I always love competing at home,’ she added.

Eileen O’Keeffe’s Irish record of 73.21m is within Tuthill’s sights right now too. She’s inching closer.

Olympian Phil Healy, with the award she received from the Cork City Sports committee following her retirement, pictured with her mum, Phil. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

While one of Bandon Athletic Club’s brightest stars thrilled in action, for another it was a chance to say goodbye. Last month Phil Healy announced her retirement from athletics, so it felt fitting the two-time Olympian was honoured at an event that she always loved competing in.

‘A massive thanks to everybody who’s here tonight and who has supported me along the way in my career. I’ll always look back with lifelong memories. I’m glad that I could leave this sport on my terms and I’m very happy with the way I walked away,’ Healy smiled.

Bandon AC's Fiona Everard (No. 12) during the women's 3000m race. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

Another Bandon AC star was smiling, too, as Fiona Everard smashed her 3000m personal best, breaking the nine-minute barrier for the first time to record 8:51.72. The Enniskeane athlete chopped over 13 seconds off her previous PB of 9:04.76, as she finished sixth in the women’s 3000m final. It also moves her to tenth in the Irish women’s all-time list, as she chases qualification to the Europeans next month.

On a good night for Bandon AC’s finest, Laura Nicholson clocked a new 800m PB of 2:01.70 when she finished fifth in the women’s 800m, with Sophie O'Sullivan (Ballymore Cobh AC) in third with 2:01.33.

Bandon's Laura Nicholson set a new PB in the women's 800m. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

In the junior women’s 800m, Skibbereen AC’s Ciara Delaney finished fourth, in 2:20.62, with Saoirse Twomey of West Muskerry in second place (2:14.74).

Bandon AC’s Eoin O’Callaghan, who is heading to the World U20 Championships in Oregon next month, also competed in the men’s pole vault.