SOMERS, N.Y. - Judging a book by its cover can be problematic, and Charlie Sullivan got the treatment in 8th grade.
With rugged, out-of-control red hair and an early beard of the same stark color, the then-middle schooler had his introduction to the hammer throw.
“People were like, ‘you look like Thor.’ You should try out the hammer,” the Tusker recalled, and four years later, the pages inside lived up to both the exterior and the mythology.
On Staten Island in the state tournament on March 8, he landed on the top of the podium for the far fling.
“Realizing I had accomplished the thing that I set out to do, it was an amazing feeling,” said Sullivan.
Not done there, the next week had Sullivan taking second in the nationals, and silver doesn’t make the Olympics unrealistic.
“That’s the goal,” he said.
Still, Sullivan keeps the larger scale in perspective.
“There were people who under-performed,” he conceded.
On the other hand, the junior doesn’t sell himself short.
“I”m definitely up there - at least top five in the country,” Sullivan said.
The thrower obviously didn’t come out of the high school womb at the top, though. “I started out pretty average,” he said.
So in the middle, the appeal was always there.
“I really like the spins, and how fast you can get,” said Sullivan.
Propelled, the athlete in him took over.
“I just kept pushing,” said the champ.
Sophomore year continued the ascent, but he wasn’t satisfied with the incremental improvement.
“I put in a ton of work this past summer,” said Sullivan.
No hammer throw coach currently at Somers, he credits Coach Lacko for being diverse enough in track and field to lend direction.
But Sullivan does get training from an outside coach.
On the other hand, proficiency is not just about technique. “Whenever I don’t have a day when I’m throwing, I’m in the gym working hard,” said the All-American.
In tandem, he knew the state qualifiers were almost a guarantee, and Sullivan easily made good. A personal best thrown, the Tusker won by about ten feet.
As for the states, he would have to bust the bracket. “I was ranked second,” Sullivan said.
A foul on his first throw and still trailing after the second heave, the chances for gold hinged on saving the best for last. So the field star returned the luster. A personal best again, he said, “I got the better of him.”
Lots of hardware, Sullivan has certainly earned a break. But he’s not taking one.
“I’m going straight into the spring season,” he assured.
A pretty determined avenger, revenge does play in because Sullivan knows that following suit provides the path.
“The way I’ve been able to get to the place I am is I keep pushing myself,” he concluded. “I’m not going to get ahead of myself. I’m going to stay right there with the competition and catch them if I can.”
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