The 20-year-old (pictured below) has broken her own British record three times already this season, with her most recent effort of 71.61 metres comfortably clearing the Olympic A qualifying mark of 71.50m.

After Helsinki, Hitchon is London 2012 bound.

And she is determined to reach the finals of both events.

It would be an exaggeration to say that Hitchon is disappointed every time she competes and does not beat the British hammer record.

"You can't do it every day," she said.

"But it's what every athlete tries to do every time they go out to compete."


Hitchon has enjoyed a spectacular rise within the sport since she took it up seriously in 2007 on the off chance, having filled in to earn points for Pendle Athletics Club, based near her birthplace of Burnley.

Her first impact on the international scene occurred in 2008 when she won the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India.

A year later she earned Britain's first ever European junior medal in the hammer, finishing third, and in 2010 she became world junior champion (pictured top) in Moncton, Canada.

Last season Hitchon earned bronze in the European Under-23 Championships, and enjoyed her first major championships experience when she finished 13th in qualifying at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu.

Hitchon's achievements over the last two seasons also tell a story of developing talent.

Her performance at the European Under-23s saw her raise her own British record from 69.43m to 69.59m.

This year she has broken the British record three more times, reaching 70.40m in March; the Lancashire lass then registered two further marks in April within less than a week of each other while competing in the United States, extending the record to 70.47m at the Mount Sac relay meeting before throwing 71.61m twice at Chula Vista.


"Things have gone really well for me this year, and I feel very positive that I can get greater distances in the years to come," she said.

"Helsinki will be my second major championships after going to the worlds in Daegu last year, and the experience will really help me in Olympic year.

"I want to get every bit of benefit I can out of Helsinki.

"I think most of the top throwers will be there, because the event is so strong in Europe.

"I know some track athletes may not be competing in Finland because they are worried about running all the rounds, but a lot of the field events athletes are going because it is just the usual qualifying and final.

"I would love to reach the final in Helsinki, and it's a realistic goal," she continued.

"If I have a good performance on the day that's definitely in my range.

"Being at the Europeans will give me something to aim for and to work towards.

"The Europeans is going to be such a great competition – there are so many throwers who could win medals.

"The top throwers all have different strengths, but one of the most noticeable things about a thrower like the world record holder, Betty Heidler [pictured above], is her consistency.


Looking back on last year's World Championships, at which she finished 26th, Hitchon said: "I'd never been to a major championships, where you're competing against the world record holder and past champions.

"I was in the athletes' village and [sprint champion] Usain Bolt walked past!

"You pinch yourself and say, 'Am I meant to be here?' I loved it, but I felt a bit out of my depth; in London I know I deserve to be there."

Hitchon's most recent national record prompted Derek Evely (pictured above, with Hitchon), her coach at Loughborough High Performance Centre where she is now based, to predict that a throw of 72 or 73 metres "would not be out of the question" in 2012.

"I have still got such a long way to go in the event – I am always forgetting how young I am compared to most of the other top throwers," said Hitchon.

"But in a few years I think I will be up there."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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April 2012: Britain's Hitchon lays claim to London 2012 place in women's hammer
July 2010: Briton claims historic hammer title at World Junior Championships