Introducing… The Thomas Green Blog…
Posted on: November 23, 2010
Hello, my name’s Thomas Green and I’m currently in my second year of a Maths degree at the University of Nottingham. I am international athlete and also one of the 2,000 disabled students studying at this Uni. I’ve decided to write a blog to give you an insight in to my life at Nottingham, specifically what it’s like having to combine my studies, training and the rigours of everyday life, as a disabled athlete. Here is my first instalment;
I hope you enjoy it…..
The IPC World Athletics Championships seemed a long way away for me in April this year. Seven months of sleep deprivation and the mania that is a hall of residence, coupled with the sudden realisation that 40% is an almost unreasonably high pass mark for first year exams, does not constitute the ideal preparation for an athletics season. Ranked 4th in the country, and with the worldwide standard higher than it had ever been, I was willing to accept that I may have to wait a few years for my chance on the world stage.
The main problem with writing a blog about disabled athletics (or “disability athletics”, for the nauseatingly politically correct) is the inherently flawed notion that people will know what you’re talking about. I will therefore attempt a brief and hopefully concise explanation. The main event in which I compete is the club, designed for those athletes incapable of throwing a javelin. The club itself is wooden, rather like a rounders bat, with a small weight on the end. Athletes throw from a chair, or “throwing frame”, harnessed to the ground inside a standard athletics throwing cage. Traditionally, athletes have thrown the club sideways, like a discus, though increasing numbers, including myself, are now throwing backwards over their heads, in a style pioneered by the three-time Paralympic champion in the event, Stephen Miller. It may sound like an ungainly and slightly farcical action, but it comes surprisingly naturally to some people. Trust me.
The first half of my season was predictably erratic. The winter is the most important time for an athlete’s training, and mine was almost non existent. I was ridiculously busy in my first term of uni, and got Freshers’ flu quite badly, so I didn’t get into anything approaching full training until around February. This was very frustrating, but I knew I had to get myself settled, healthy and comfortable in my new life before I could perform athletically. In my experience, the cliché that sport is 90% in the mind is in fact an underestimate. I haven’t heard of many sportsmen who have been on top of their game when miserable.
The B qualification standard for the World Championships, to be held in New Zealand in January 2011, stood at 25.10 m, well below my best from the previous year, and it proved to be elusive for most of the summer. With the club weighing only 400g, throwers can genuinely use adverse wind conditions as an excuse (correction: completely valid explanation) for below-par performances, and attempting to throw into a Gateshead hurricane twice in two days left me feeling particularly sorry for myself. Some of my performances were good, most notably when narrowly missing the standard and the bronze medal in adverse conditions in the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester, but the distance would not come.
After competing in the Tunis Open this July, home to the new Paralympic champion and world record holder, Mourad Idoudi, I took a two week break, arguably my first for nearly a year. This left me with four competitions in which to get the qualifying standard, starting at Stoke Mandeville Stadium in August. Having fallen short with my first four throws, my fifth and penultimate throw sailed well over the standard, only to be called a foul. A throw is fouled if you lift your backside off the seat, and it was the first time it had ever happened to me. Not best pleased, I didn’t even think about my last throw, but just drove it as hard as I could, before perhaps unwisely asking the official if he would like to call that one a foul! He didn’t, and the throw was good enough to make the qualification standard. Righteous indignation turns out to be a very useful feeling with which to throw. You’re angry, but not with yourself, which is pretty much the perfect place to be.
The standard seemed much more attainable in the remaining competitions (I told you it was more than 90%!). I broke it on each occasion, including a personal best of 28.88 m in September. This also meant I was ranked 2nd in the country for 2010, and I had beaten my closest rivals repeatedly towards the end of the season. This may seem an odd thing to point out, but most disabled athletes sadly quit the sport if and when they realise they don’t have international potential, which means you beat surprisingly few people as a young athlete coming through. I won’t pretend it didn’t feel good.
Despite my late surge, I did not expect to make the team for the World Championships, being as young and inexperienced as I am. It was therefore a huge shock when I got the call from my Performance Manager a week after this term began to confirm my selection. I’ve thrown for Great Britain three times now, and the thrill of being selected doesn’t diminish, but being selected for a major championships is something else. The fact I was with my coach, and father, when I found out made it even more special.
And so, we are now back to winter training. As well as keeping the throwing action in the groove, it involves a lot of strength and conditioning and flexibility work, trying to get your body in the best possible shape for competition. Deadlines, lectures and other pests are still obstructive, but anything I’m doing now is an improvement on last year. I fly out to New Zealand on January 4th 2011, so I will have a clear month at home to relax, recover and get fully prepared before I go. With no chance of medalling at my age, I’m relishing the chance to get experience on such a stage, as nothing prepares you for something unless you’ve done it before.
Then I’ll go back to winter training….
Thomas’ next blog will be coming to you during the week commencing 13th December. Stay posted for a little Christmas treat or two from Mr Green!
Sportyhannah74's Blog 
Leave a comment