At 17 years of age Anita Madan has two very distinctive sports in which she excels because she has been developing very nicely as a hammer thrower in athletics and in weight lifting after taking it up only last year.
 
Prior to her athletics involvement, Anita enjoyed gymnastics and still takes part in horse riding at Bowlings, but mainly for relaxation after her other sporting commitments.
 

Followed in sister’s footsteps

 
Anita set out with the Pembrokeshire Harriers as she followed her elder sister Helena, who has competed in hammer, shot and high jump, and initially as a ten year old she tried sprinting and hurdling under the watchful eye of Pete Freeman and Nigel Rowlands.
 
But then Anita moved on to the shot and finally the hammer, where she knew she was suited to its skills almost immediately as she was coached by Karen and Tracy Llewellyn – and now regularly visits Neath for specialist training with Dai Arnold.
 

Getting used to a technical event

 
Throwing the hammer was certainly a challenge early because of its technical aspects, since a decision has to be made about whether to take two, three or four rotations of the circle before accurately releasing the hammer so that it flies through the gap in the safety cage which ensures it doesn’t pose a threat of others in a wider arc and perhaps concentrating on another activity.
 
Anita currently feels comfortable with two complete spins but it is a fair bet that as she gains confidence and distance she will increase the number of rotations around the circle.
 
At first she didn’t use a ‘proper’ hammer but a plastic version and there were plenty of errors then and when she moved on the lightest weigh hammer as it flew into the netting rather than out onto the field so it could be measured.
“But I am a battler,” admitted Anita, “and gradually I have acquired the skills needed to send the major majority of my throws in the right area.”
 

Huge increase in personal best

 
This has certainly been proved by her throwing capacity because at first she was pleased with a personal best of under 20 metres but now has improved that to over 38 metres whilst representing West Wales in the Midlands and West Regional Championships held at Swindon.
 
Sandwiched neatly in between have been four wins in a row at both the Pembrokeshire and Dyfed Schools Championships. This has led on to competition at the Welsh Schools Championships, held originally at Brecon but now the competition takes place at Leckwith Stadium just opposite Cardiff City’s ground in the capital city.
 
“My best place at this higher competition has been fourth place but I am gradually climbing up the rankings in Wales and the UK so I am pleased that I am still improving, which is the main thing for me.”
 

Hard training and huge family support

 
Anita trains every Tuesday and Thursday at the athletics track in STP School, or at Neath, and there is a lot of travel which is where parents Fiona and Rog come in.
“They are totally supportive, are great chauffeurs and give me every encouragement to do well,” Anita told us, “and I couldn’t do what I do in sport without them.”
 
Finding training facilities are not so easy in winter because the safety cage at STP is dismantled for Health and Safety reasons.
“It was because of the need to build up my core strength that I decided to go to a weight lifting ‘taster’ session at the Strength Academy Wales gymnasium just up the road from the STP track to see if it would help.
 

Enjoyed SAW from the outset

 
She enjoyed it from the outset and coaches Simon Roach and Owain Rowlands were impressed by her very promising start.
 
“Like all newcomers,” said Anita, “I started off lifting a bar with no weights attached so I could develop the basic skills needed in the ‘Snatch’ and ‘Clean & Jerk’, the two disciplines involved.
“The weights were gradually increased as I showed I could manage them safely and my coaches have given me great encouragement to build on my start.”
 

Early championship success and other PBs!

 
Before long Anita was entering for her first competition, the Welsh Schools Championships, where she achieved best lifts of 30kgs in the ‘Snatch’ and 45kgs in the ‘Clean & Jerk’ for a combined total of 75kgs which earned her the gold medal in the Girls Year 11 under 69kgs class.
 
She was naturally delighted to do so well but it simply spurred her on to work even harder and the end-product is the fact that since then she has increased her PB by 35kgs to an amazing total of 110kgs, including 48kgs in the ‘Snatch’ and 62 kgs in the ‘Clean and Jerk’!
 

High praise from her coaches

 
Since her initial success in the Welsh Schools’ Championships, Anita has competed at the ‘Will Power Challenge’ in Pontypool and then at a similar event in Swansea, and in both competitions raised her PB.
“Both gave Anita the sort of competition that she now needs,” said Simon Roach, “because it will sharpen her competitive awareness alongside her rapidly-developing skills
“The next challenge for Anita is the British Schools Championships which are to take place at Stoke on Trent, where she will compete in the under 18s 75kgs class.
 
Owain Rowlands told us,
“Anita has put in a huge amount of work which lifts others around her. She has such a positive attitude and willingness not to allow plateaus of performance put her off.
“That is so vital in our sport and we have no doubt that Anita will continue to do well because of that willingness to make the extra effort.”
 
High praise indeed from two top coaches in weight-lifting and we wish Anita Madan further success in weight-lifting and in hammer throwing when she returns to athletics in earnest next spring!