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Kevin Madden

kevin madden

Kevin Madden devoted much of his adult life to hammer coaching. He was first introduced to it in Germany in 1958 whilst serving as a National Service man with the British Army on the Rhine.

He revisited the sport in 1971; joined Sale Harriers and competed for the club in the Northern and British National Athletics League (BAL). His most notable performances were achieving Shot Putt Gold and Hammer Bronze at the British Veteran’s 8th T & F Championships in 1978.

Whilst a mechanical fitter at Woodford Aerodrome working on the Vulcan Bomber and Nimrod submarine Hunter, in 1975 Kevin became involved with hammer coaching and coached his first English Schools Champion (Steve McElroy) in 1976. He progressed through the Coaching Awards and became Senior Hammer Coach in 1982.

From 1982 -87 he held the position of BAAB National Junior Event Hammer Coach, and served as Team coach for the GB & NI Junior teams in West Germany, Norway and Belgium.

Kevin founded the North West Hammer School in 1987 which is affiliated to the NCAA and AAA and caters for throwers of all age-groups from novice to international. Soon after in 1989, The Association of British Hammer Throwers presented Kevin with the ‘Howard Payne Trophy’ for outstanding services to British Hammer Throwing.

One of his outstanding successes has been Sale Harrier’s hammer thrower MIKE FLOYD who Kevin coached since age 15 years to become UK’s top hammer throwers for a decade with a PB of 72.45m. He coached Mike to England Schools, GB Junior, GB U23, England & GB Senior international vests. Mike represented GB & NI at the 2008 European Team Cup and won the hammer bronze medal at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.

He has also held a GB, England and 12 Northern hammer title at senior level. link.

Other successful throwers coached by Kevin were:-

LAURA DOUGLAS who represented Wales at the 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games and represented GB at the European Junior Championships. ( PB 64.74m 4k hammer)  link.

STEWART ROGERSON to England Senior International and who held the Sale Harriers club record for 20 years. (PB 70m 30cm 7.26kg hammer). link.

SOPHIE HITCHON – In one season as U15 she developed from 40m to 53m, qualifying for World Youth Championships. (PB 74.54m 4k hammer). link.

LINDA BENIN (Ghana) to the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. (PB 58.46m 4k hammer). link.

CHRIS EDGAR to Scottish Junior and GB Junior vests. (PB  41.01m 7.26k hammer)

Sadly Kevin passed away in January 2021 after a short illness which included the Covid 19 virus. He will be sadly missed.