Clemmie’s Story – from beginner to representing England in just one year!
Clemmie Harris is a 15 year old Hammer thrower and a member of Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow Athletics Club (WSEH).
Originally a gymnast and dancer, Clemmie started to throw the Discus in 2021 as the country was coming out of COVID19 lockdowns and outdoor youth sports could restart.
Within a couple of months and after improving in training, Clemmie was given the opportunity to throw in an entry level competition for Discus, and was delighted to be a part of a competitive team once again.
The club believed she also had potential for Hammer, so after giving her some initial training she competed for the first time on the 4th July 2021, finishing second and that was it, the Hammer became her main focus!
She competed three more times before the end of the season, winning twice and seeing her personal best (PB) improve from 23.28m, to 36.99m, to 41.16m to 42.51m.
The club had introduced her to coach Paul Dickenson, himself an Olympian and who has coached many athletes to National and International level. Over the next year Clemmie went from strength to strength, further improving her PB in the early season track & field open meetings in April, winning her event in many athletic league matches the club competed in, then as the leading thrower in Berkshire, threw over the qualifying distance of 48m, with a new PB of 49.13m, to be selected to represent Berkshire in the England Schools Athletics Association National Championships (ESAA) in Manchester.
The Championships took place on the 8th July 2022, almost exactly 12 months to the day that she took part her first ever athletics competition. Amongst strong competition, Clemmie threw a new PB of 51.12m, earning her first place, and title of ESAA Champion for Under 17 Girls Hammer. Subsequently she was selected for England in the Schools International match a week later in Belfast.
With her talent, quality coaching and vitally her own hard work and dedication, it has been an incredible 12 months for Clemmie. She has gone from throwing the Hammer for the first time, to representing the club in several competitions, winning all bar one, winning the Berkshire County Championship and the Berkshire Schools Championships, to being selected for Berkshire, winning the English Schools National Championships and then being selected for England.
See here for all of Clemmie’s results.
Clemmie is very grateful to her coach Paul and the team at WSEH for all their help & support and cannot wait for what the next year holds. She is an example of what can be achieved by anyone with talent who is prepared to work hard and Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow Athletics Club are very proud of her.
Written August 2022