James disappointed by Euro display

Despite comfortably coming through her heat in Italy on Friday, the 18-year-old crashed out of the final after the opening three rounds having recorded just one legal throw.

The effort Sedlescombe-based James did post was a solid 59.43m, but that was only enough for ninth place. Hanna Zinchuk of Belarus won with a huge throw of 65.44m.

“I was really disappointed,” said James, a gold medallist at the 2011 IAAF World Youth Championships and Commonwealth Youth Games. “My first throw got me off to a good start, but two net throws was a horrible way to go out.

“I felt I’d been throwing well and could have been on track to post a PB but it wasn’t to be. It was good weather, a great environment and another good experience, but it’s just a shame I couldn’t do better in the final.”

James, who has thrown in excess of 60 metres this season, now faces months of hard winter training, but a lack of competitions next year means there is only one thing to aim for.

“The Commonwealth Games is next year,” added the Sussex Coast College Hastings student and former Hastings Athletic Club talent. “It’s a very long shot, but it might be do-able if I put the hard work in.”