Shaunagh Brown (Blackheath & Bromley) and Sophie Hitchon (Pendle AC) were unable to progress from the qualifying stages of the women’s shot and hammer competition at the World Youth Championships on Friday morning, but it was an invaluable experience for both teenagers.

Brown was eliminated in the girl’s shot qualifying, finishing 16th overall, four short of the cut-off point.  The shot is the 16 year old’s secondary event and she was more disappointed with Wednesday’s discus final, where she placed 11th with 41.95m, almost 10 metres down on her best.

Reflecting on her performances, she said: “We were using brand new shots today, which I am not used to.  They felt different and were kind of slippy.  I would have been really happy with this sort of distance a year ago, so it’s not too bad.  Whereas with the discus, I was throwing 41 metres two years ago.

“I think the problem (with the discus) was not doing enough throws into the open in training. Instead I’ve just been doing most of my throws into the cage. That way you can do about 80 throws a session rather than about 25. But I just wasn’t getting the flight right at all and if that’s the problem, that’s what I have to address.

 “I’m going to write down all the names of the girls that beat me and try and beat them next year at the World Juniors.”

In the women’s hammer Hitchon was unable to advance to from the qualification phase, her best effort of 50.28m placed her 17th overall, five place away from a final spot.

Nevertheless, the 16 year-old who celebrated her birthday on Wednesday, is still in the very early stages of her hammer-throwing career. Indeed, this is the first season she has even taken part in the event, so to reach this level so quickly was a remarkable achievement.