Making of a Champion Axe Thrower

From a recent piece on Ceola McGowan who is the top female axe thrower in Ireland and is aspiring for a world championship title:

Ceola threw her first axe in 2018 and is already the fourth best female thrower in the world.

She said: “It's the power of picking up an axe and feeling like a badass. You look at this big thing that has got four sharp points on it, two sharp blades, and I’m going to fling this over my head 20 feet down to a target that’s got a two-inch diameter bullseye and I’m going to get that.

“It’s very zen. It’s very meditative. You’re inhaling, you’re exhaling, you’re throwing, and that kind of ‘thunk’ noise when the axe hits the target. It’s just the best feeling. You’ve had a bad day, throw an axe - thunk - it’s better.”

Ceola credits her fitness and core strength to the pole dancing classes she takes in Bray.