Kirsty Law is improving “like a fine wine” as she steps up her bid to turn her Olympic dreams into reality.
Despite enjoying an impressive 2021 of four new personal bests, the Scottish discus thrower’s form surprisingly let her down at the British Championships.
A fourth-placed finish at the event, which doubled up as trials for last summer’s Olympics, meant she missed out on the Tokyo Games.
“I was like, ‘what has happened’?” said the 35-year-old.
“I just put so much pressure on myself. I wanted to win it and I wanted to throw over 60m – I wanted to win it in style and that was just the complete wrong attitude to go in with. I just couldn’t perform. The pressure, it was devastating and I said to myself, ‘that will never happen again, ever’.
“I got so many kind messages from all my friends and family. They were saying, ‘do not let that define your season’ because I had a great season up until then. I thought, ‘I am not going to let this define me, I know I can throw further’, then I threw 60+ meters.
“My coach always says to me trust the process, trust the technique, trust what you are doing. You repeat it every day for a reason. I am just not going to focus on anything else, you can’t control the uncontrollable, just focus on you.”
‘I’m the strongest I have ever been’
It is a big year for the two-time British champion, who has also won the Scottish title 13 times.
As well as the Commonwealth Games, she is also hoping to hit the qualifying distances for the forthcoming World and European Championships. The long-term goal is to qualify for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
With that in mind she has scaled back the hours of her day job as a nursing assistant at a Nottinghamshire hospital.
“At the end of last year I decided I am not getting any younger,” she explained. “I thought I have got to give this everything, give it one last big shot and try and make Paris 2024. Work have been so supportive.
“I just thought, ‘give it one last crack’. I just feel I am like a fine wine, I am getting better with age, my gym numbers are going up. I’m the strongest I have ever been, the fittest.
“I was out in Doha with my coach in November and I threw the furthest I have ever thrown – training or in competition – so I know I am in great shape, it is just putting it all together and hoping it comes out this year.”
