Jerseyville Teen Axe-Thrower Appearing on ESPN2

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JERSEYVILLE - Josselyn Allen, a 14-year-old axe-thrower from Jerseyville, will compete in the World Axe Throwing League’s 2022 Commissioner’s Cup Tournament, “The Ocho," which will be streamed live on ESPN2 at 8 a.m. Friday.

Allen will be competing in the Big Axe - Youth tournament on the Red Team and will face against the Blue Team for the Commissioner’s Cup. While Allen said she was “very nervous” about the competition tomorrow, she added big axes are one of her favorite things to throw.

She started throwing axes two years ago at 12 years old in the Riverbend Axe Throwing League along with her father and grandfather. After competing in some other tournaments in Springfield, she was invited to join this invitation-only competition.

Allen’s grandfather, Jim Nanney, said this competition is different than a usual tournament and will be perfect to highlight Allen’s axe-throwing talents.

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“It’s more of an exhibition of different people’s skills showcasing what they can do, and Josselyn was selected to showcase her skills as a youth thrower to represent the surge of youth coming into the sport,” Nanney said. “So she’s kind of the face of youth coming into the sport.”

Allen’s father Kraig said she has received a lot of encouragement from the community and from her family with three generations of axe-throwers.

“It’s all been positive - people love to see the future of the sport,” Kraig said. “Our axe family is very supportive. There’s no negativity, it’s all positivity.”

The 2022 Commissioner’s Cup Tournament is being held at the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center in Rock Hill, South Carolina. For more information about the event, including more detailed information about the competitions, visit: worldaxethrowingleague.com/2022-commissioners-cup.

Watch the event here when it goes live tomorrow at 8 a.m.

Photos courtesy of Jesse Levi Hummel of Throvv.

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