FOR most athletes, the primary objective when they hit their thirties is managing the decline.
Almost without exception, athletes in their fourth decade are creeping, or in some cases, hurtling towards the end of their career.
Not Kirsty Law, though.
Scotland’s top discus thrower may have been an internationalist for a decade-and-a-half already but at 35 years old, she is currently in the form of her life.
A personal best at the end of last season was the vindication she needed having considered quitting the sport just a few years earlier.
And with a huge summer ahead - the World Championships, Commonwealth Games and European Championships all take place within the space of just over a month - Law is optimistic that she can continue to buck the trend and produce some of her best results of her life in her mid-thirties.
“I changed coach a few years ago and now, I understand the throw a lot better than I did before. Now I understand exactly why I’m doing things,” says Law, who is a 13-time Scottish champion.
“I was really close to jacking it all in in 2017.
“I always knew I was capable of throwing 60m in competition but I’d never done it so I was feeling like what’s the point?
“Ten years ago, I was throwing 60m in training but it was once in a blue moon and I didn’t actually know how I was managing it so I could never do it in a competition.
“Now, I have the understanding and the knowledge to put it into the throw and so be more consistent.
“I’m 35 and still PB-ing, that’s really exciting. And seeing these improvements massively helps my motivation.”
Law has another factor pushing her to succeed this summer.
As Tokyo 2020 approached, the Black Isle athlete looked right on track to qualify for her first Olympic Games.
She went into last year’s British Championships as defending champion and hot favourite to retain her title and make it into Team GB.
However, a sub-par performance saw her finish in fourth place and miss out on Tokyo, with that disappointment giving her all the fuel she needs to rectify things this year.
“I had a really disappointing British Champs and I didn’t deserve to go to Tokyo.
“So doing well this summer would make up for all of that,” she says.
“Last year’s British Championships devastated me but I didn’t want to let that define my season and I finished my season strong, with a PB of 60.13m, which I was really happy with.
“It was a big PB so that was a massive boost - and I know I can throw further, that’s what keeps me going and keeps me doing this.”
This season’s British Championships, which begin on the 24th of this month, will be Law’s next competitive outing and despite her winter being hampered somewhat by a hip injury, she is feeling in good shape.
Before the British Championships, however, she will find out if she has been selected for Team Scotland for this summer’s Commonwealth Games.
With only 23 spots available, and considerably more athletes having achieved the standard, Law is well aware that she can take nothing for granted despite having comfortably met the qualifying criteria.
She made her Commonwealth debut in 2014 but having missed out on the 2018 Games, Law is desperate to book her ticket to Birmingham where she could, all going to plan, be in the mix for silverware.
“I’m not letting myself think about being in the team. Until I get the phone call saying I’m in, I can’t assume anything. It’s just so tough to be selected,” she says.
“In 2018, it was disappointing not to be there but this time, I’ll be really devastated if I don’t get to go, really devastated.
“I can’t get ahead of myself though and so I need to try and get thoughts of medals out of my head, especially because it’s not just the Commonwealth Games this summer, it’s Worlds and Europeans too and I want to be at all three.”
