HAMMER-throwing Olympic finalist Sophie Hitchon vowed never to try it again after failing to get a grip of the sport on her first attempt.

Despite the disappointing introduction to the event, the 21-year-old, from Burnley, is now through to tonight’s final of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Blackburn Harrier Sophie, who is also a degree student at the University of Bath, broke the women’s British hammer-throwing record with 71.98m in the Olympic qualifiers on Tuesday.

Dad Michael, a Harriers sprint coach, said: “Sophie had always been an active youngster and often filled in during competitions for her sports club when needed.

“If someone didn’t turn up, she would have a go at things at different events so they didn’t have to forfeit points. One day she ended up doing the hammer throw.

“The first time she had a go, aged 14, she couldn’t let go of it. She said ‘I am never going to do that again’.

“When she decided to have a go again at the age of 15, within eight months we were at the World Youth Championships in the Czech Republic.

“It has all been a whirl-wind since then.

“She didn’t qualify for the final, and she was so far behind that she was in tears.

“She said ‘I am not going to let that happen again’. And every championship since, she has lived up to her word.

“The first time she really got to grips with the event, she threw 28m from a standing throw.

“When she did her first British record, she broke the under-17 British record, and then went on to break the under-20s, and then the under-23 and the British record.

“In the space of four years, she has broken all the records. She has a fantastic team of coaches.

“The amount of work she has to put in is incredible.”

He said Sophie had previously been a ballet dancer from the age of three until she turned 16, and she started trampolining with Burnley Trampolining Club from the age of six until she started at Ivy Bank High School.

He said at the age of 15, Sophie was regularly training five, or six, days a week. At that age, a typical week for the former Wellfield Methodist Primary School and Burnley Sixth Form College student would include sprint training, running at the track, gym work, weight lifting, throwing, and general fitness.

He said: “She went to sixth form to study for her A-levels, but she never wanted a ‘normal’ career. She always wanted to be an athlete.”