International footballer Megan Campbell launches world's longest throw-in

An Irish footballer who leaves rival teams quaking in their boots with her super long throw-in now officially has the world’s longest.

London City Lionesses player Megan Campbell has broken the record for farthest distance football (soccer) throw-in (female) with an impressive 37.55 m (123 ft 2 in).

For context, her throw-in was over 10 m longer than the length of a blue whale, the world’s largest animal, which is usually around 24 m (80 ft).

And it’s almost twice the length of a bowling alley (19.16 m; 62 ft 10 in) from the pins to the foul line.

“I think my record might stand for about a week until someone gets hold of the information,” Meg laughed.

She’s the first woman to break this record, and had to beat a minimum of 35 m (114 ft 9 in).

The 31-year-old said: “It’s an amazing achievement for me personally to have that now, as the first ever. But ultimately you want someone to beat you, I want someone to be more successful than me because then that means I’ve put another player in a better place.

“You’ve got to be someone that people can look up to and want to achieve things from, so of course I want someone to go on and beat my record.”

Meg took on the mammoth challenge at the London City Lionesses training ground in Kent, UK, on 30 April.

A mannequin was placed at the 35-m mark and her plan was to hit it, or hopefully, throw the ball even further.

“When I come up against an opponent now, it’s no secret I have a long throw,” she said.

“My throw developed when I was maybe about 12 or 13, I was playing for a boys’ team back home and my throw was longer than the boys’.

“As I grew up it got longer, it’s just something I’ve always had, I never specifically worked on it, but it’s something nice to have in the back pocket when needed.”

Megan has previously played for famous teams Manchester City, Liverpool, and Everton, and has 50 caps for the Republic of Ireland, saying it’s an “absolute honour” to have represented her country so many times.

Just last weekend, her London City Lionesses drew their crucial match against Birmingham City and were promoted to the top league in English football.

That will make them the first ever independent women’s club, not associated with any men’s team, to play in the Women’s Super League from next season.

Megan, who found a love for football after going to matches with her dad and great uncle, is thrilled with the direction women’s football is going in.

She said: “I think female football at the moment is on the rise. It’s an upwards trajectory and I don’t think there’s a ceiling.

“It’s fantastic to see the development over the years I’ve played in the game, both professionally and amateur.

“From when I was a kid to now, the game has changed dramatically.

“It’s only for the better and long may it continue. I think investment in the women’s game is so important – it’s the fastest growing sport in the world.”

Meg, who believes it’s her hypermobility that lets her throw the ball so far, says record breaking sends an important message that “there are no barriers”.

She said: “Anything is achievable in life, no matter what it is.

“If you have a goal and you have a mindset to want to go out and achieve that, then it’s possible.

“Knowing that anything is possible is what keeps you going and gives you the drive to go every day and want to push to achieve things.”