Photos
I couldn't resist heading down to my second home after my Graduation Ceremony. Swinging a hammer with a gown on was surprisingly hard work!
An indoor session at Grangemouth Stadium over the Christmas period. First outing with my new throwing shoes too!
My winning throw at BUCS 2011 - also a PB and new Scottish Junior Record. I have loved throwing at the stadium in Bedford ever since!
My boyfriend got me Clyde (the Glasgow 2014 mascot) to help me throw well this year! This is him with my hammer after my first competition of 2014.
This seems such a long time ago! I threw 46.47m to win the silver medal in my first year as an U17. Myself on the right, alongside Lorraine Shaw (Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist from 2002 and another of Alan Bertram's athletes!), Sophie Hitchon (now the UK Record Holder and an Olympian) and Sadie Watts on the left.
I was honoured to be one of the Bank of Scotland Local Heroes to be involved in launch of the Torch Relay in Scotland. The photo shoot took place with the Forth Rail Bridge in the background.
Another Local Hero event - this time I travelled to the Olympic Park during construction and met world class athletes Andy Turner and Jonathan Edwards!
I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to carry the Olympic Torch in my hometown of Falkirk. It was an incredible experience and sometimes I still can't quite believe it happened! It was amazing to see the Olympic Cauldron and know that the flame I carried was part of that.
I was given the opportunity to carry the Olympic Torch through my involvement with the Bank of Scotland Local Heroes scheme. I can still remember the phone call I got telling me I was going to be a torchbearer - I was at training and couldn't stop grinning all session!
I absolutely love this picture. It was taken at a workshop with the men's world record holder, Yury Sedykh, organised by my late coach Alan Bertram (left). My current coach, John (right), was also coached by Alan and they have both done so much for me over the years. As you may be able to tell, it was pretty cold that day!
It was an amazing experience to have Sedykh watching and commenting on my throwing. Unfortunately, it was a freezing cold day so the legs weren't working properly but I still got some really useful feedback! I've competed against his daughter at quite a few age-group championships. I can now say I've met both hammer world record holders!
The 2012 British University and College Sport Championships were held in the Olympic Stadium as the test event before London 2012. Despite having been injured, I fought really hard to retain my title and can now say that I stood on top of the podium in the Olympic Stadium (shame it wasn't the real thing!).
I kept my Olympic Torch and brought it down to training one evening. This is just a quick phone shot of me with John in front of the cage at Loughborough. Another of my training partners, Sarah Holt, also carried the torch in England.
I very rarely take good pictures while I'm throwing - usually I screw my face up something rotten! So I love this one, even though I should be looking at the hammer....
This is another photo from the shoot at the Olympic Park. I found it so difficult to keep a straight face - I'm used to having to smile for the camera!
Post-LIA success! Both Stef and I threw big PBs at the Loughborough International Athletics match (2014) thanks to our coach John's expertise and just a bit of hardwork on our part!
Clyde has been with me to every competition this season and helps to remind me what I'm working for in the day-to-day slog of training.
This is a brilliant photo from BIG where I threw two more Commonwealth Games Standards in two days. Not only am I relaxed but the technique is ok too, making it possibly the best ever photo of me throwing! Thanks to Mark Shearman for the great shot! (@AthleticsImages)
