The Throw that Got Away

The Throw that Got Away

Dr. Bondarchuk shared how immensely talented Igor Nikulin was. He never said it in a judgmental way. He was always careful to say each man’s path was each man’s path. Or at least, that was my perception.

Words like fast, out of control, wild, etc get thrown around without much care for the man in the ring.

So, even before I threw “far”, I felt very similar to him of all the Soviet throwers.

My own experience as a thrower for the vast majority of my career was to hear very similar disapproving words and energy to what you hear about Nikulin’s movement. Often my self talk echoed the same judgments.

But how do you manage? What does it matter? How do you survive a life in the ring? How do you survive huge disappointments in or out of the ring?

You show up. You put in the work. You love the journey—in the best OR worst of times. You team up with a coach that loves you for YOU.

This is how you live a life in sport and literally grow up and evolve in the public eye.

I’m simply stunned over the losses the hammer/throws/athletics communities have faced in recent months. To us, they are the legends of our sport. To Dr. B, they are his guys.

When you pick up your hammer next, take a couple deep breaths and let the spirit of all the hammerers that came before you fill you up.

I don’t wish to speak for Nikulin, this is perhaps the throw that got away. A sector foul at the 1990 Goodwill Games in Seattle that was REALLY far. We all have them.

Enjoy

🖤

*edited to reflect that there is not enough evidence that this throw was over the WR, just that it was *really* far. Apologies.