The Hammer Circle Reunion, a social event which also includes competitions, awards presentations and guest speakers has been held every year since 1952, except 1959. The Presidents of the Hammer Circle, starting with Malcolm Nokes in 1952, have all been leading figures in the sport. They include other ex-Olympians Peter Allday, Howard Payne, Paul Dickenson, Dave Smith and Chris Black, leading coaches Dennis Cullum, Alan Bertram, Ron Bowden and Kevin Madden, former internationals Charles Reidy and Jack Freeborn and Veterans/Masters champions Don Vanhegan and David Bayes, as well as the long-time Guardian athletics correspondent John Rodda who presented the Hammer Circle with a striking framed photo of all-time great Krivonosov, taken at the first Hammer Circle reunion in 1952. John Rodda died in 2009.
This Krivonosov photo now forms one of the many annual trophies donated by members and supporters which are presented at the Reunion, which has been held variously at Bisham Abbey, Grendon Hall, Eton, Hull and currently either in Bedford or in Hull. Among them are trophies named after Cullum, Payne, Reidy, Bertram and Freeborn, as well as one named after John Bard, an American Army lieutenant who was a graduate of Oxford University.
The 50th anniversary of the Hammer Circle was celebrated in 2002 in the presence of Yuri Sedykh – still the world hammer record holder – and the organisation continues to thrive with many younger throwers and women as members. As well as Sedykh, other great overseas athletes who have been associated with the Hammer Circle and its members over the years include Mikhail Krivonosov, Hal Connolly, Gyula Zsivotzky, Heinz Weis, Koji Murofushi and Igor Nikulin.
Other activities organised by the Hammer Circle include an annual, and popular, Winter Handicap competition. The Circle undertakes correspondence and consultation on proposed rule and equipment changes. We provide support for athletes (especially younger throwers) to help them compete in overseas competitions. This support has directly helped to improve the standard of younger UK throwers in recent years. The publication of annual ranking lists and other key stats has for many years been led by Tony O’Neill, a member since 1962 and a 50m thrower himself in the 1960s, The Power of Ten has to some extent superseded the manuscript maintenance of the current rankings but the ranking history will hopefully be included on this site once we have an opportunity. For the last two years, the Hammer Circle has sponsored a number of athletes to go to Portugal for internal competition experience: read more HERE
Over 60 years after we were founded,The Hammer Circle is still maintaining the spirit and range of activities which the founders of the Association were seeking to achieve in 1952.Over the last couple of years the British system has focused on development of coaches. This we believe has been to the detriment of the athletes in the event of hammer. We believe in the development of athlete and coach together, as improving the understanding of the athletes is just as important as developing the coaches.The Hammer Circle has a wealth of experience, friendship and support to offer you.