O'Kane's silver lining in comeback from injury
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DISCUS thrower Sam O’Kane ensured there was a silver lining to his injury-hit season when he came second at the recent Scottish Athletics National Championships in Aberdeen.
The Halkirk athlete, who was ruled out of action for eight weeks with a shoulder injury, is getting back to his best after throwing 38.42 metres to claim the silver medal.
Despite an impressive performance at the championships, his throw was still four metres below his current personal best, but still good enough to claim second.
Before his injury, he threw two personal bests at the start of the season.
Though happy with his performance, he believes he is capable of much better once he gets back to full fitness.
“It was my first competition since returning from injury,” he said. “I was happy with how I did but it wasn’t the best that I have ever thrown.
“It wasn’t far my off my personal best and I would like to have thrown further but considering I have only just got back from injury, I am pleased.”
The 22-year-old, who is being hailed as one of the brightest talents in the Scottish discus scene, began his career as a 10-year-old with Caithness Amateur Athletics Club.
It soon became apparent he had a talent for throwing and at 13, he dedicated himself to discus under the watchful eye of coach Malcolm Clasper and soon progressed to taking part in regional competitions.
Currently working towards a masters degree in biotechnology at university in Glasgow, he is managing to combine his studies with his training.
He represents Glasgow City in the British Athletics Men’s Premier League as well as Kilbarchan Amateur Athletics Club and Glasgow University. Earlier this year, he was awarded university colours by the university for his outstanding achievements in representing and captaining his uni and Scottish Universities over the previous three years.
He is focused on winning the British University Championships next May and earn a place at the British Athletics Championships in Birmingham in June, which are also the Olympic trials for Rio 2016.
He said: “You have to be ranked in the top 12 throwers in the UK to be invited to the British Championships.
“The coach I’m working with just now, Hugh Murray, who is the national throws mentor, thinks it is a realistic goal.
“But it’s going to be a hard training session during the winter.
“Discus requires you to have a lot of speed and strength but it also demands you to develop a lot of flexibility.
“The current training plan involves me doing between 200 and 300 throws a week followed by weightlifting twice a week and running three times a week.
“If I come through that, I think I have got a good chance of making the British Championships, but things have to go well for me.”
O’Kane is also a Highland Games athlete and competes with fellow Halkirk athlete Jamie Gunn at events at national and international level.
They took part in a Highland Games in Germany at the weekend where they took part in shot put, hammer, weight throwing and caber tossing.
O’Kane has long-term ambitions to be selected to represent Scotland at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
His next big event will be the Scottish Indoor Championships in January and hopes to one day achieve a place in the Olympic squad.
He said: “I’ll concentrate on getting to the Commonwealth Games first, then I’ll think about the rest.”
