It's Hammer Time: These Throwers Compete for Themselves

They are the outsiders in the world of track and field. They often toil in obscurity, competing in a mysterious, misunderstood sport. They usually are anonymous and almost always overlooked.

They also rarely compete in high school track meets.

But they are dedicated athletes who don’t crave the accolades of the media or the adoration of a cheering crowd. Instead, they seek self-gratification and the acknowledgement of their close circle of competitors throughout the country.

These are hammer throwers.

In South Orange County, there are two high school students who throw the hammer exceptionally well: Brad Bolton, a senior at El Toro, and senior Jessica Imani of Corona del Mar.

They train on their own campuses or at nearby facilities with a hammer circle. They usually travel on weekends to qualifying meets and invitationals held on college campuses throughout the state and nation. And they also compete in the CIF Southern Section track and field finals, even though the hammer throw currently is not a CIF sanctioned sport. They throw the next day, after everyone has gone home.

“My dream is to compete in the middle of the field during a track meet. That’s never happened,” said Bolton, 18, whose state-best 12-pound hammer throw of 225 feet 8 inches last year ranks 21^st in the nation and fourth in California on the all-time list for high school boys. “There are a lot of misconceptions about the sport. Some people know what you’re doing, but how can the sport grow if you get coaches who can’t teach it?”

Imani acknowledged that the hammer throw can be a lonely existence, but she also said that the rewards outweigh any negatives.

“It’s like a sorority or my second family,” said Imani, who ranks eighth in the nation with a throw of 160-9 last year. “We have a small community of throwers who have become really good friends. When we do see each other, it’s like a reunion. No matter who wins or loses, we all support each other. No one’s ever upset over their place. We all know what the best marks are and what it took to get there.”

What is the Hammer?

The hammer is basically four pieces: a metal ball (steel or stainless steel) attached to a thin wire using a swivel, with a handle attached to the other end of the wire. Throwers grab the handle with both hands, with their dominant hand on top. After swinging the hammer around their head a few times to gain momentum, throwers spin three or four rotations through the circle, or ring, which measures seven feet in diameter, before releasing the hammer onto the landing surface.

Hammer throwing began in Ireland in 1829 B.C. and centuries later was modified when Celtic mythological hero Cuchulainn was said to have whirled a chariot wheel by its axle around his team and threw it farther than any other mortal, according to hammerthrow.org. The event has been included in the Olympic Games since 1900, and since 1950 the distance throws climbed from 196 feet to 280 feet in the 1980s.

Bolton: The Natural

What prompts a kid to want to throw a 12-pound hammer? For Brad Bolton, the sport just evolved. He started by participating in track and field and at age 9, throwing the shot put with the U.S. Amateur Track and Field (USATF) program. He added the javelin and the discus events over the next couple of years.

Then, during the summer of 2006, Hal Connolly, the 1956 Olympic Gold medalist in the hammer, came to Orange County to teach at the Soka University Throws camp. Brad attended several days and by the end he was hooked. The next year, at age 15 (the minimum age required), Bolton started throwing the hammer competitively.

With the shot put, discus, javelin, hammer and the "weight," which is sort of a hammer throw for indoor meets that is much shorter and weighs more -- 25 pounds -- Bolton competed in his first Throwers Pentathlon in January 2007 at Cerritos College. It marked the first time he threw both the hammer and weight in competition.

“I remember I fell down on my first [hammer] throw,” Bolton said. “I had no idea what I was doing. I had worked only two days before I threw it, but I threw 78 feet and I was hoping for anything over 60 feet, so I was really happy.”

The next month, Bolton began throwing with a new coach, Shawun McGinnley, who was added to the El Toro staff. In 2004, McGinnley had competed in the hammer for two seasons under Coach Ron Witchey at Santa Ana College, where McGinnley set the school record and was a state meet qualifier. Under his tutelage, Bolton nearly doubled his distance, from 78 feet to 152 feet in six months. 

One year later, in July 2008, Bolton threw 209 feet and set a Junior Olympic National Record, according to his father, Steve, who competed in the shot put as an amateur.

“He taught me the technique and I kept improving every month,” Brad Bolton recalled. “I approach every meet as a chance to improve myself. You have good days and bad days, but you’ve got to be happy with yourself.”

In 2009, Bolton finished second in the World Youth Trials at Eastern Michigan University. He was selected to represent the United States at the 2009 IAAF World Youth Championships in Bressanone, Italy. Although he failed to qualify for the finals, Bolton set a national sophomore record in the 6K hammer throw at 197-6 feet and threw a personal best 223-1 in the 5K hammer throw.

Bolton is scheduled to compete in the hammer throw at the Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational at UCLA's Drake Stadium on Friday, then throw the shot and discus on Saturday at the Arcadia Invitational.

Imani: The Over-Achiever

Jessica Imani is a relative newcomer to the hammer throw, having picked it up during the summer before her junior year. But she has progressed quickly under the coaching of Corona del Mar throws coach Jim Driscoll, who retired from competition in 1996 with a personal best of 244 feet in the hammer.

“She knew I had thrown the hammer. She asked if she could start learning how to do it,” Driscoll said. “We began with some drills until we could find a place to throw, and by the time we did, she was throwing pretty far.”

“I sort of fell into it,” said Imani, 17, who also competes in the shot put, discus, javelin and weight, and has tried pole vault. She currently ranks second on the Sea Queens' all-time list in the discus at 124-6, and is seventh in the shot. “I didn’t know what it was or what it took to do it, but I had nothing to lose. I’m better at things that others are bad at.”

Imani’s first competition was Dec. 19, 2009, at an all-comers meet in San Diego, and she threw the hammer an astounding 123-3 feet. A few weeks later at the Throwers Pentathlon, she reached 130 feet.

It wasn't until Imani began competing in the hammer that she learned she wasn't the only field athlete in the family. Her mother had competed in the discus in high school and now her two brothers Alex, 15, and Brayden, 10, are showing signs that they may be following their big sister into the circle.

But Jessica says that while she loves competing in the hammer, she wants to keep her life balanced and in perspective.

“Between track, five [Advanced Placement] courses, family time, attempting a social life, different clubs and fund-raisers, I was starting to feel run-down in November and December,” Imani said. “Track is a priority, but not before school. Now, I think I have everything under control, which should help me in track. I was just taking on too much.”

Imani will compete in the discus on Saturday at the Arcadia Invitational.

Coaching, Danger and Physique

Bolton and Imani compete in 10 to 15 meets and invitationals each year that allow the hammer throw. In Orange County, there are approximately 20 boys and 15 girls who throw for their school, according to Bolton, and that number is inching up.

One reason the hammer has been slow to catch on is the lack of coaches who are skilled in teaching the sport. Another is the danger associated with the hammer. While throwers are surrounded on three sides by a net cage that protects spectators from errant throws, the fear factor among non-competitors remains high.

Bolton and Imani say they have never been injured while throwing the hammer.

“The hammer might be more dangerous than other sports, especially when you have a 12- to 16-pound ball flying ridiculously far,” Bolton said. “But the wire can be just as dangerous. I’ve seen two throwers hurt by the wire when they lost control. There is a danger that you have to respect. And you can never turn your back on it.”

Another fallacy is that hammer throwers are just like shot putters: big and heavy. Physically, competitors generally have strong, flexible shoulders and flat stomachs so the handle won’t hit them as they are leaning back and spinning. Mentally, it takes a clear mind, complete concentration and an accelerated rhythm before a competitor can explode into a throw.

“You only have to be strong up to a certain point, your average college strength,” said Bolton, who is 5-10 and 180 pounds. “It’s about quickness and timing. It’s not about wanting power, but focus. It’s like in football comparing a running back with a lineman. I usually don’t visualize a throw. I take deep breaths, feel the rhythm, count 1-2-3-4, and let it go. I have a really good spin and rotation.”

Looking at Their Future

In the fall, Bolton will be attending the University of Michigan to train under well-known hammer coach Mohamad Saatara. A native of Citrus, in the San Garbriel Valley, Saatara trained under Lloyd Higgins, a well-known hammer coach. Saatara is responsible for building strong throw teams at Cal State Los Angeles and Northern Arizona.

Imani said there’s no doubt that Bolton will be successful at the next level.

“He’s not human,” Imani said of her counterpart. “We’ve been competing in the hammer, shot and discuss and he’s really awesome. He has really helped me. He’s always so serious before he throws, but afterward we have a great time. We get along really well.”

Meanwhile, Imani is deciding between two schools: UC Irvine and the University of Richmond in Virginia. Imani says she’s excited about the next stage of her life, but isn’t sure she wants to be close to home or start exploring the rest of the world.

Bolton said he admires what Imani has accomplished in such a short period.

“Jessica is a little bit shy,” Bolton said. “She’s only been throwing for two years, but she’s going to do well. She’s very smooth and pretty in her throw.”

Added Driscoll, “She’s as good as any high school girl I’ve coached over the years. She many not be the best female hammer thrower I’ve ever had, but she’s real close. She’s got a bright future ahead of her if she chooses to make it a priority.”

Whether they are living in California, Michigan or Virginia, Bolton and Imani know they will never be far apart. After all, they are members of a very exclusive club.