Colchester man wins medals at axe and knife throwing championships

Jace Waterman’s first taste of axe and knife throwing was part of a special treat arranged by his partner to celebrate his 40th birthday.

But the activity fast became a passion for Jace, who has gone on to represent his country in the world championships.

“I was immediately hooked so I started looking for somewhere closer to home to go,” he said.

Impressive - Jace's medal haul (Image: Jace Waterman)

The 44-year-old was living in Hornchurch at the time and found a small club which met twice a week in Chadwell Heath, which is where he began perfecting his knife throwing technique.

A visit to the world championships in 2019 saw Jace bag two top ten world rankings, a feat which inspired him to turn his hobby into a career.

After moving to Colchester later that year, Jace opened what he claims to be Essex’s first axe throwing venue – Valhalla Lanes.

“It’s been really popular and offers a safe and fun way to try the sport while being competitive if you want it to be,” he told the Gazette.

People of all ages and backgrounds visit his venue, in Moorside, Colchester, with children as young as six enjoying the sport, while his oldest client is 92.

The double discipline UK champion and world bronze medallist said lots of people end up being inspired to take up the sport after giving it a go socially.

Jace hopes the sport will rise in prominence on the world stage in years to come.

He said: “Our ultimate goal is to try and make it a professional, televised sport. Because it’s a target sport we’d love to get it into the Olympics alongside events like javelin.”

Stepping away from a long career in the building trade was a tough decision for Jace, but he says he wouldn’t change a thing.

The Lexden resident added: “It was a very scary decision but one I felt really passionate about. I’ve finally found something I passionately enjoy and have never looked back.”