The Standards
By the time it got to the 18th May, I still hadn't thrown a Commonwealth Games standard and I was beginning to get just a little bit frustrated! Training was going really well and I knew that I had a big throw in me but every time I competed I had a -4.9 headwind to contend with, or a slow circle. But then came the Loughborough International Athletics meet, a 6-way clash between the home countries, GB Juniors, BUCS Champions and of course the hosts - past and present students from Loughborough. With gorgeous weather and a fast circle, I knew this was a golden opportunity and had to work really hard to ensure that I was in the best possible mental state to make the most of it.
I opened my account with a nice relaxed, somewhat easy throw, that my coach later dubbed 'tentative'. The intention had been for a good solid start over 60m that I could then build on so you can imagine the delight when the distance was shouted out as 63.11m!! A new personal best after two very difficult seasons and my first qualifying standard for Team Scotland. My training partner, Stef, came over to hug me and I had to ask her if they'd really said 63 metres! It never fails to amaze me how time and again the throws that feel easy are the ones that go a long way. Even looking back at the video, at first glance it does indeed look almost tentative, but you can see that I am relaxed and the hammer radius is long which is essential for big distances.
The relief was pretty overwhelming and it was quite difficult to stay completely focussed. I backed up my first round with 62.69m and 61.46m, before starting to try too hard and dropping below 61m in the final three rounds. Everyone threw well, with Stef also throwing a big PB, as well as my Scottish rival Rachel Hunter producing a massive 66.30m in the second round.
My next competition was an evening meet ten days later, again at Loughborough, but a complete contrast to the sunny and exciting LIA. There were only three of us over 50m and very little atmosphere, and despite having ensured the correct officials were present I finished with 60.40m, a mere 60cm away from my second standard. In actual fact, this gave me confidence for the weekend, when I was competing both days at the Bedford International Games, knowing that I could throw over 60 metres on a cold flat evening.
The last weekend in May turned out to be another lovely couple of days, and a favourable circle along with my final two head-to-head chances against the other contenders for a place on Team Scotland, made this yet another pressure competition. On day 1, I left it right to the last round and remember leaving the circle with my fingers crossed, knowing that it had felt good but praying that it would be reflected in a distance over 61m! 61.32m and I had my second qualifying standard, leaving Scotland with four female hammer throwers with at least two qualifying standards and eligible to be picked for the Games in Glasgow. I had increased my head-to-head lead against Kimberley Reed and very nearly decided not to compete the next day. However, I knew I was capable of getting another standard and hoped that I could relax, throw further and improve my chances of being selected. In the end I finished with 61.14m, not as far but another standard and another head-to-head win for me. All in all a successful weekend, but I think I gave my supporters a few grey hairs along the way!! I definitely didn't make it as easy for them as at Loughborough!
I now had one last competition left before the end of the qualification period. In fact it was actually on deadline day and I travelled out to Germany for the first time since I trained there during my Gap Year. Another British hammer thrower, Mark Dry, was also competing and, along with my boyfriend Pete, we flew out on Saturday afternoon to Frankfurt. The 'Hammerwurfmeeting' is held in Fränkisch-Crumbach and is a well-loved competition among the Germans. It's held in a tiny space, just big enough for a full sector with a stage and some benches along the side, as well as a food tent. The atmosphere was brilliant even as early as 9:30 in the morning but the weather was already scorching by then. I struggled slightly with the alignment of the circle within the cage and unfortunately clipped my best throws off the cage door, taking at least a couple of metres off the distance. In the end I finished with 59.93m, a disappointment but I'd also come to the end of a very stressful period, with four competitions in just 12 days and I was beginning to feel the repercussions! I knew that the other contenders were competing in Scotland that day so all I could do was wait and watch my phone for updates. The selection meeting was taking place that evening and I’ve never been so restless, knowing that the course the next few months of my life would take was being decided for me…