Nicola Tuthill (UCD AC) and Ava O’Connor (Tullamore Harriers AC) set new Irish U23 records this evening at the Motonet Grand Prix in Lahti, Finland, a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meeting.
Competing in the Hammer Throw, Tuthill threw a best of 71.71 metres to add nearly 1.5m to her previous record which had been set in May 2024 in Slovakia. Eileen O’Keefe (73.21m NR) is the only Irish woman to have ever thrown further.
Tuthill finished third overall in the event behind Finish duo Krista Tervo and Silja Kosonen.
It continues the 21-year-old’s impressive early season form, the Cork native winning U23 Hammer Throw gold at the European Throwing Cup in Nicosia, Cyprus back in March, Ireland’s first ever gold medal at that event.
This evening’s performance also sees the Paris Olympian and European finalist tick off the Athletics Ireland B Standard for the 2025 World Athletics Championships which will be held in Tokyo in September.
Ava O’Connor also continued her strong early season form by lowering her own national U23 record in the 3000m Steeplechase.
The Laois athlete clocked a time of 9:45.00, bettering her previous record of 9:46.22 which she had set back in April in California. Last month, representing Adams State University, the 21-year-old won the NCAA Division II title in the event.