The Athens Olympics are only a week away and one of the events which will feature on the athletics field is hammer throwing. A Bishopthorpe man and one of his former students are giving free lessions in York, so the Evening Press sent James Redgrave along to try his luck.

Wielding what is essentially a medieval morning star, minus the spikes, is an intimidating activity at any time.

Doing so under the auspices of several people all demonstrably better at it than you adds an additional hint of lurking concern.

How stupid do I look? Am I bad, even by novice standards? Is that a ten-year-old girl laughing at me?

The present professionals all assured me I had done well and, in truth, I enjoyed hammer throwing.

I felt a clenched anxiety while swinging, knowing the hammer might just catch me on the way round, the ball knocking my knee, the chain choking my neck.

The subsequent relief, at releasing the ball successfully (if not quite impressively), lulled me into thinking the next attempt would be less nerve-wracking.

Bill Britton, from Bishopthorpe, retired from teaching in Hull "a good bit back" and devised the Hull Group club along with Diane Smith (a former student) and her husband Dave, a former Commonwealth champion and Olympian.

Britton's aim is to "get a bit of a group going", and City of York Council have aided him by funding his use of Huntington Stadium last Thursday.

By a similar arrangement with Nestl Rowntree, he and his retinue will continue to give instruction at Mille Crux on Mondays and Wednesdays at 7pm, with three free lessons to start off.

Hammer throwing was once a means of alleviating the tedium of menial toil. Those in jobs with frequent access to hammers (builders, smiths, etc) competed to throw them the furthest.

By the early 16th century, however, there is evidence of the pastime having usurped its inauspicious origins and becoming a diversion to the idle rich.

When I relinquished my spot in the circle it was to be replaced by Diane and Dave's son Alex, a 16-year-old English schools' champion from Hull.

His 76.52metres throw at the UK schools' finals last June is an English record, and only 7.8m off his father's English record, unbroken since it was set at the 1986 Commonwealth Games.

When I put this to him, he says: "I used a lighter ball". Will he ever beat Dave's 77.30m "I hope so." Grins. "Yeah. I reckon so."

His ambitions, however are not limited to family one-upmanship. The 2008 Olympics in Beijing feature in the plans, as do perhaps the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

Also involved on the day was another savant like Smith, his younger brother Peter. He is two years junior and, according to Bill, "already throwing further than Alex did at his age".

The club is an undeniable success. While Alex leads his field, two of the girls present have held places in the UK rankings for their 15 years age group. Emily Gibbons and Heather Woodburn finished last year in third and 11th places respectively.

For further information on the Hull Group club contact Bill Britton on 01904 706773.

Updated: 10:11 Saturday, August 07, 2004