She may have been edged out of a place in the final, but Nicola Tuthill was positively buzzing after a fine performance in the women's hammer throw event in Paris on Sunday.
After failing to register with her first attempt - her throw catching the outside of the upright - she came back with a solid effort of 68.87m at her second go-round and then improved to an excellent 69.90m with her final throw.
It was not enough to advance - her 16th-place finish left her short of the top dozen which make the final - but the Bandon thrower was as happy as can be when she spoke to RTÉ Sport's David Gillick after her event.
"It's amazing. The stadium is so full – it’s just so loud! It’s such a good crowd," the 20-year-old said.
"I’m happy, I’m always looking for that 70[metre] and I’ve got 69.90 twice now in my last two competitions so I’m dying to break it. I’m not massively far off it, 71 made the final so I would’ve had to PB [to make it] but to be able to bring out that 69, I’m delighted.
"I’m only 20, I was the youngest one in the field for the hammer, so to be here is amazing. The first throw didn’t go my way so I was a little bit stressed, I was like 'Oh My God, I have to get one out now!’ but to be able to pull out a 68 and then a 69, I’m so happy, yeah.
"I’ve had such a good year. I made the Olympics, which is pretty cool! I’m delighted, it’s been such a good year. Keep building, hopefully…
"I’m not finished yet, I’m going to keep working and hopefully push it out towards that 70[metre] again. I’m dying to break it and I was hoping to do it today. Being 16th, I wasn’t massively far off the final so I’m always looking for something more. But I’m happy, yeah.
"All of my family are here. My coach Killian [Barry] is over there, I was going over to him between throws. My parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, so many people came over. So, to be able to throw close to my best for everyone who travelled over. The Irish crowd in the stadium is amazing, there’s so many Irish flags in every corner.
A picture doing the rounds on social media recently shows a then 15-year-old Nicola watching her father put the finishing touches on her own personal throwing platform back home in Cork. Needless to say, it's a facility she's made much use of in the intervening five years.
"Little did we know back then that I’d be out here now," she said. "It definitely helped me. My parents, my coaches, everyone around me has played a huge part in getting me here and helping me produce that today."
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