We take a deeper look at some of Neuff’s throwing ambassadors and bloggers, including Bekah Walton, Amy Thompson and Fabio Zamparelli

All throws events require a heap of physical and mental strength to succeed. Luckily, Neuff’s throwing ambassadors easily possess these vital qualities and are here to rise to the top and help other young athletes throw further in their journeys, too.

Many of you will know Neuff Athletic for being one of the top equipment suppliers in the UK and have been a reliable source of support for athletes since 1966. However, after bouncing back from the Covid pandemic, they have now taken a further step and have recruited a highly talented bunch of throws athletes to help inspire the future generation of throwers.

Launched in late 2022, Neuff’s ambassador scheme was created to allow up-and-coming athletes to showcase their sporting achievements to the athletics community and has been a monumental success across the board.

Meet the ambassadors

“Athletics plays a big part in my life and it has improved my confidence massively,” says para shot putter and Neuff ambassador Amy Thompson.

Amy is a frequent attendee of throws competitions and is a prime example of a naturally gifted athlete who has had athletics rushing through her veins since a very early age.

“I have Achondroplasia, a type of Dwarfism which means I am short, but my arms are short too. However, this hasn’t deterred me from achieving everything I wanted, and I still have my targets to achieve, just like anyone else.”

More often than not, Amy places highly on the podium in her competitions, claiming many gold medals to add to her already impressive athletics resume. It’s not surprising to see why, given how dedicated she is to her throwing craft.

“I keep the momentum going at competitions by making sure if my first throw is not good, I reset and go again,” says Amy. “I ensure I stay on my feet, focus, practice drills and skip as this gets my heart rate up.”

“I also always turn up to train in all weathers even if I don’t feel like it. I truly believe this contributes to an athlete’s success.”

Amy’s true passion for athletics is something that all the Neuff ambassadors have in common, which made them stand out when Neuff selected them to be a part of their team.

Supporting the best of the rest

Another ambassador, who has supported Neuff for many years, is F20 throwing superstar Fabio Zamparelli. Currently No.1 in shot put and discus for his category in the UK, Fabio is well-loved within the athletics community for his positive attitude towards throwing. As a result, he has proven an inspiration for many reasons.

“I never compare myself with anyone else. I’m just myself and work as hard as I can,” Fabio said to Neuff in a recent interview. “Everything else, like medals and records, is the by-product of my commitment to training and throwing, which I love so much.”

The journey that Fabio has gone on over the past few years has been extraordinary, he has achieved so much in such a short time. Moreover, to recognise his achievements, he was invited to a royal garden party last year to meet the now King Charles and Queen Camilla.

“Meeting King Charles and Queen Camilla was a real honour. They took time to listen to my athletic ambitions and fully believed in me. It came at a time when I struggled a little with my training (learning a new technical aspect of the throw). So, meeting them gave me a real boost.”

While meeting the royals was an experience in itself, Fabio says his support network (which he has known for many years) has been crucial to his success.

“Athletics gives me so much in life and the support I receive from my support team is amazing; having someone believe in me means everything and it gives me confidence outside of athletics too.”

Forming friendships through throwing

While having excellent physical and mental health is crucial to being a successful thrower, having a supportive network can also play a prime part in how far a young thrower will ultimately progress.

Lewis Forster, a six-time Greater Manchester champion and Neuff ambassador, credits many of his family and friends for his success as a javelin thrower. Additionally, his coach is Simon Forster, a former English Schools and Nation champion, who also happens to be Lewis’ dad.

“My dad is the reason why I am a javelin thrower,” says Lewis. “He told me about his success as a javelin thrower back in the 90’s, and this lit a fire inside me to take up athletics.”

Always looking up to his father for guidance and motivation, this father and coach relationship has proven to be very useful for Lewis’ progression over the years as he’s moved up in age categories.

“In a lot of ways, I’m thankful he is my father as well as my coach. During competitions, he will be able to know how I’m feeling without me even saying a word to him. Having this kind of father and coach relationship makes communication really effective.”

While having a solid relationship with his coach, Lewis is also very close with Charlie Evans, another javelin ambassador for Neuff who has recently qualified for this year’s European Under-20 Championships in Jerusalem.

The strong friendship between Lewis and Charlie has been greatly admired amongst other throwers, as they often motivate each other in the lead up to their competitions, both online and on the field. Lewis also loves the camaraderie amongst the javelin community, which he describes as “one big family”.

“We all want each other to do well and do their best. I’ve created life long friends through athletics, which I’m very thankful for. Having good friends makes it really enjoyable too, I’m always looking forward to events and competitions, not only to throw but to see my friends.”

After recently signing with Manhattan College in New York, where he will start a new chapter as a student-athlete in August, Lewis has a lot to look forward to, and he’s only just getting started.

“My next big goal is to make the GB team. I’ve got quite a way to go but I’m more determined than ever and once my A-levels are over, I’m giving it 110%!”

Throwing further with Neuff’s bloggers

As Neuff has expanded over the past year, it’s not just a group of young ambassadors who have joined the long-standing brand. Many bloggers keen to inform the new wave of athletics talent have also come on board.

These bloggers are also talented athletes in their own right and produce content that discusses topical talking points within the athletics community. Whether it’s training routines, product guides or other meaningful topics with little to no coverage, the throws bloggers at Neuff have proven to be a valuable source of knowledge for young throwers everywhere.

Take Bekah Walton, for example. Originally a netballer, she is now a two-time British champion thriving in the javelin world. Claiming her third gold medal at the BUCS Championships in May and recently returning from an international competition in Hungary, Bekah is a perfect role model for the javelin community and her blogs have gone down a hit on Neuff’s website.

“It’s so lovely to hear!” says Bekah. “It’s been nice to work in athletics from a different perspective, and I’ve enjoyed reflecting on the topics I have covered so far. I would love for the community to grow together and am always open for discussion with any readers and what I have written or anything else javelin related.”

Since becoming Neuff’s regular javelin blogger late last year, Bekah has written many blogs that have helped throwers in various capacities. She has spoken about winter training, the importance of speed for throws and how to prevent injury as a javelin thrower, amongst other insightful pieces.

With so many accolades to Bekah’s name, there has naturally been a lot of hype surrounding her in the lead-up to this year’s competition season. While Bekah experiences competition nerves, she is able to put a positive spin on these emotions to improve her athletic performance.

“I am aware of the pressure, but it’s constructive for my performance,” says Bekah. “I love the competition nerves because that’s when I know I am ready to go for it. This way, it doesn’t feel like something I need to keep on top of when I compete, as I know they’re an asset.”

With a natural flair for athletics and an impressive mindset towards training and competitions, Neuff is proud to have Bekah on board, and her realm of talents will undoubtedly lead her to a great deal of success in and out of the athletics sphere.

The future of British throwing

Neuff also has senior athletes as part of their team, one of whom is hammer thrower and athletics development coach Ben Hawkes.

Ben is one of the longest-standing blog team members, who has been producing content for Neuff since 2021. He has competed internationally for Great Britain & NI and is well-known as a strength and conditioning coach in Cardiff. Much of his content for Neuff revolves around this particular aspect of training for athletes, with some pieces also focusing on competition prep for hammer throw.

He’s also competed in discus and shot put events but has always gravitated towards hammer throw, which he attributes to his first coach, Eric Davidson.

“Growing up, everyone in my training group followed the same path in doing multiple events before hammer. I couldn’t tell you why. Probably just part of a sound, well-rounded athletics development plan from Eric, if I’m honest.”

This is what Ben had to say when asked why he enjoys hammer throwing in particular. Aside from the pure enjoyment Ben gets from hammer throwing, he has also found the event to be a vital tool for learning more about his capabilities.

“I get a lot of satisfaction from imagining a journey toward a perfect dance with the hammer. You have to let the ball do the work, which is something I struggle with – but it feels amazing when you get it right.”

It’s clear from Ben’s track record that he loves nothing more than to help others discover their abilities within their sport. After a conversation with Neuff’s company director Sara at an England Throws Camp a few years ago, the opportunity to become a blogger arose, and this was an offer he simply couldn’t refuse.

“I think the work Neuff does in the athletics community is outstanding, so I was naturally aligned to that mission,” is what Ben had to say when asked what created his desire to help younger athletes who wanted to follow in his footsteps. “I’m grateful for this opportunity which Neuff provided me with, and I have gained a lot from the experience!”

As Ben has coached athletes of all ages (some as young as primary school age), he has had a fair few glimpses of what the future holds for British athletics. And by Ben’s account, it’s safe to say the future is bright, so long as the correct provisions and coaches are implemented for the next generation.

“There’s a lot of talent out there. It just needs good coaching to nurture it through a long-term athletics development journey from grassroots to the gold medal,” says Ben.

“For long-term sustenance and growth, we need a better club & coaching infrastructure to engage more young people with the sport in a fun, community-minded way. I think that’s how – given the constraints present in Athletics in this country – we get the most athletes challenging and competing for a spot at the next level, whatever that is for a given athlete.”

Find out more information on Neuff Athletics’ current ambassadors here, as well as Neuff’s blogging team here.