Azerbaijan’s hammer thrower Anna Skidan has identified the European Championships in Birmingham as her main target for the 2026 season, with the tournament set to mark her full return to elite athletics after maternity leave, Idman.Biz reports.
The continental championships, scheduled for August 10-16, will be the most important competition of the year for the Azerbaijani athlete. Skidan, who lives and trains in Ukraine, said her preparation began later than usual partly due to difficult winter weather conditions.
“This year our winter was very cold, so I only returned to the throwing sector at the end of February. I have been training for about two weeks now,” Skidan said. “At the moment I train together with my husband and my daughter. They are my best support group, and this is a completely new experience for me. My daughter is growing quickly and it is very interesting to watch her progress. I hope the issue with a coach will also be resolved soon.”
The athlete explained that she is currently focusing on regaining physical condition and gradually increasing training loads after a long break from competition.
“For me the European Championships will be the main competition of the year, and there are about five months left until it begins. Right now I am working on physical preparation and recovery. I have already started increasing the weights in strength training, which makes me very happy. After such a long pause it is encouraging to feel how the muscle memory starts to remember the movement again,” Skidan noted.
As part of her preparation, the Azerbaijani thrower plans to begin competing again in June. One of the potential early events in her schedule is the Ukraine Cup, an international commercial tournament.
Skidan also highlighted the technical complexity of hammer throw training, which combines both strength and coordination. Athletes regularly perform technical drills outdoors throughout the year, including rotational exercises, work with heavier implements and strength training such as squats and deadlifts.
Skidan currently holds the national record for Azerbaijan. Three years ago at the World Championships in Budapest she threw the hammer 77.10 metres, setting a new national mark.
