Building DIY ‘facilities’ to throw and clearing snow – by Nick and co

Friday 29th January 2021

Nick wins gold as Scots add four more medals in Manchester

Nick Percy rounded off a short 2020 season with a gold medal success at the Muller British Champs in Manchester in September.

The discus thrower topped the podium and, at the time, expressed the wish for a solid programme of winter training to set him up for a crack at Olympic selection in 2021.

Nobody quite imagined then how another extended lockdown would look or how training would be affected for the Isle of Wight-based Scot.

Ultimately, however, the Percy family have responded spectacularly to that challenges of Covid-19 with a spot of D.I.Y. to create their own ‘indoor throws facility’.

This is becoming something of a theme across Scottish athletics with Callum and Derek Hawkins having converted a garage at their family home to create their own ‘indoor training centre’ a couple of years ago.

And Kirsty Law, who like Nick won British Champs discus gold in Manchester in 2020, created her own garden gym last summer to continue her strength and conditioning programme.

Nick for his part is simply pleased to be able to keep on throwing despite restrictions.

‘Obviously it has been impossible to access training venues during Covid-19 so we had to think outside the box a little bit,’ said Nick.

‘We decided to see what we might be able to build in our garden at home on the Isle of Wight. It was a bit of project for us as lockdown took effect and the pictures show the results.

‘It’s not bad at all for what it is and means I’ve been able to keep on doing throwing sessions. Hopefully somewhere down the line there are real benefits of that.’

We reported on Kirsty Law’s home-made gym in the current edition of PB magazine

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Adapting to winter weather has been another big issue for Scottish athletes this winter.

But these tweets from GB international Zoey Clark and jumps coach Linda Nicholson suggest our athletes can be pretty resourceful . . . and determined.

Good luck to all athletes and coaches at all ages and stages on adapting to changing training conditions #SALbelieve.

-7 degrees but Champions never stop. @SAL_Coaching @SALSueGyford @MaguireSal pic.twitter.com/xmFKd174Av

— Eddie mckenna (@EddieCMcKenna) January 9, 2021

Where there is a will…… However, today the disinfectant wipes and spray froze solid ?. Onwards and upwards….. pic.twitter.com/FVEF3xcNuh

— Linda Nicholson (@NicholsonLinda) January 24, 2021