Career
This page aims to give an overview of the highlights of my career so far. For a more detailed account please find the link to my 'Power of 10' profile on the contact page!
U23 Age Group
I’m now in my final year as an U23 and I’m hoping that this year will help me to forget the previous two seasons! There have been some good performances but generally I have been frustrated with my throwing. Admittedly, I wasn't expecting any fireworks - I made the calculated decision to focus on my degree and also to take on the role of Loughborough Athletics Club Chair in my final year (with over 300 members this was surprisingly time-consuming!), which would prove valuable experience for the future. But it's always hard to watch others progress as you try just to tread water and I'm so excited to be back throwing a long way again!
Like I said there were some good results and I was absolutely thrilled to win the BUCS title for all three years of my University degree. This didn't come easily, especially when it was held in the Olympic Stadium as the test event for London 2012. In round 4, I was in 4th place, so that victory was pretty special as it showed I could fight. That year I also won the UK U23 Championships and came second in the Scottish Senior Championships which saved my season. I couldn't repeat this in 2013 though, finishing fourth in both competitions.
2014 has been an incredible year. The goal of the whole season was to perform to the best of my ability in the final of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games - never mind being selected or making it through the rounds! It was a very tough year and getting myself to the athlete line-up before the start of the Final was one of the most crazy, emotional rollercoaster rides of my life. I can't wait to keep moving forward into my senior career!
U20 Age Group
2009 was the first of three seasons as an U20 athlete. I won all three Scottish U20 titles and won bronze and silver medals at the UK U20 Championships before failing to register a mark in the 2011 edition, despite being at the top of my game that year. In 2009 I was selected to compete for GB & NI at the World Youth Championships in Italy, where I was thrilled to make the final, placing 9th overall.
With 2010, came the World Junior Championships, held in Moncton, and a torrential downpour on the day of the qualification round. I struggled with the conditions and was gutted to miss out on a place in the final. Despite this disappointment, I managed to take a couple of scalps in the British Senior Championships coming 5th.
In my final year as a Junior, and my first year at University, I won my first BUCS title with a huge PB and Scottish U20 record of 61.94m. I also travelled to the European Junior Championships in Tallin, in the best shape of my life. A timing error and fall in qualification stopped me from progressing to the final, despite being ranked 4th overall on paper.
U17 Age Group
By the time I reached the U17 age-group, I’d dropped all other events and completely committed myself to throwing. I’d been working with Alan Bertram since the previous summer and it was beginning to show. I won the Scottish U17 Championships and placed second in the UK equivalent, behind Sophie Hitchon. I also competed at the Scottish U23 Championships and won silver!
The following year, I went one better, winning both the Scottish and UK age-group championships. I won the Scottish U20 Championships and again came second in the UK equivalent to Sophie. This year was a huge breakthrough year for me, not least because I was selected to compete for Scotland at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India. Despite only recording one valid throw, I came fourth in my first major championships, an agonising 12cm away from a silver medal. I finished my U17 career with a Scottish record of 52.02m.