Holt issues defiant riposte despite being thrown off Olympic path

Sarah Holt, a hammer thrower from Cleckheaton, can also be found at the British swimming squad’s base, putting in the hours to get to London 2012.

Only Holt’s work is not done in the pool, but behind the reception desk.

And it is not just ushering the likes of Joanne Jackson and Joe Roebuck into the locker room that Holt has had to stomach. She has also spent the last two winters training in Oregon, in the United States.

All this because after six years on UK Sport’s funding programme, Holt was dropped when a back injury struck her down in 2010.

With no results to draw on to secure funding for the following season, Holt’s journey to London 2012 has been a hard one.

And that road converges in Birmingham in two weekend’s time at the Aviva British Championships and Olympic trials.

“There have been some tough times but I’ve worked around it,” says Holt.

“Working at Loughborough University is fine and I manage to fit a training programme around that.

“I can still do eight hammer throwing sessions a week, and have two gym sessions a week.

“I think I’m doing better by myself. You do sometimes feel like you’re isolated, because if you’re not at the very top of your sport you’re not deemed a priority.

“It does beg the question of how do you get to the top if you don’t get the support? But you can’t dwell on it.

“Losing the funding prompted a big decision. I needed a change so I followed my old UK coach Bob Weir out to Oregon when he took a job at the university.

“I was there for about six months last year, but it was difficult because of the visa situation.

“I had to leave after three months and then go back after four days, which cost a lot of money in flights.

“But, having said that, I’ve had a really good winter of training over in Oregon, the best I’ve had.”

Holt’s task at next weekend’s trails is simple – throw the hammer 71.50 metres.

It is a distance that has so far proven beyond her, but if anyone can achieve the requisite improvement, it is Holt, who has recorded personal bests in each of the last 10 seasons.

She began the year with a throw of 66m38 in Loughborough.

That was followed by a hurl of 68m50 in Los Angeles last month and a throw of the same distance to win the English title last weekend.

With Sophie Hitchen having already thrown the A-standard, Holt knows that nothing but 71m50 will do. It is a tall order, but one she is confident will be overcome.

“I’ve improved in a number of areas over the last few months, it’s just a case of replicating it all on the day,” she said.

“I’m in a heavy period of training right now. After that it eases off and that’s when you hopefully see the distances spread out a little more.”

Holt is relatively slight for a hammer thrower.

A natural athlete when she was younger, she discovered a talent for the hammer when she was 12 and was taken under the wing of respected coach Mike Morley of Mirfield.

If she achieves her goal next weekend it will lead in nicely to what will be a memorable Olympic double for Holt.

For on Monday, June 25, she will carry the Olympic Torch through Batley.

“It’s going to be a terrific honour,” she said, “and one I cannot wait to fulfil.”