Double joy for Newbury throwers in Loughborough

Local throwers Charlotte Payne and Ben East have enjoyed their first successes of the season.

The pair headed to Loughborough for the 2025 Winter Long Throws Championships.

Payne took gold in the hammer throw, pulling out a distance of 64.28 to cruise clear of her competition.

East took gold in the javelin throw by a slimmer margin, with his 73.50 effort just enough to seal the gold.

Both will now look to consolidate this early success as the season gets into full swing.

East is hoping to secure consistent gold medal finishes throughout the season, while Payne has had a rather disrupted off-season.

Her former coach, ex-Olympian Paul Dickenson, passed away in December, a loss felt deeply by all involved with Payne’s journey.

Since then, Payne has worked with a new coach to reconstruct her technique.

“We’ve been putting in a lot of work to become a more consistent and stable thrower,” she said.

“I can definitely feel the progress, and that stability is also helping me generate more power and momentum, hopefully leading to bigger throws.

“When you've been working on the same technique for years, learning something new can feel like re-learning how to walk!

“It’s also been a great reminder to stay patient and focus on long-term improvements.

“I really believe in the work we’re doing, and I’m excited to see where it takes us!”

Payne’s flying start has given her confidence, but she’s aware that future success is earned, not granted.

“Winning by a good margin is a nice confidence boost,” she said.

“But at the same time I know there’s still a lot to improve on, so I’ll keep focusing on getting better and building towards even bigger performances.

“This year has already been a big transition, so I’m just taking it one day at a time.

“I have a lot of goals, both in terms of process and performance, but right now my main focus is putting in the hard work without getting too caught up in big numbers or competitions.”

This could be a big year for Payne, feeling more comfortable following cochlear implant surgery, and getting ready for a specialist training camp.

“It's now been a year which is hard to believe,” she said.

“I truly feel like a different person to who I was last year.

“It's crazy how a piece of technology can be so dramatically life changing!

“I'm so much more comfortable now. Last year, I couldn't throw with my cochlear implant on, as all the noise absolutely fried my brain.

“But now I really appreciate all the feedback my surroundings can give me when I'm turning, helping my balance, and hearing my foot land.

“My new favourite sound is the whistle of the hammer as I release!

“I am hoping to be selected for the European Throws Cup held in Cyprus later this month.

“I have my first ever warm weather training camp planned too, which we're hoping will kickstart the rest of the competition season nicely. Training in the sun can do wonders!”