Robert Muir hopes to continue his tug of war success in Switzerland later this year after picking up another two gold medals in Belfast last month.
The 26-year-old from Biggar is one of two from Tinto Tug of War Club who took part in the indoor championships in Northern Ireland from March 8-11, with Alexander Lyon, but representing Ayrshire.
Scotland won gold in men’s 640kg open and mixed 580kg open, also taking silver in 580kg mixed closed.
While Scotland have won over 20 gold medals in competitions, it’s the first time they took top spot in mixed.
It’s not the first medal Robert has won in the sport since he started pulling 10 years ago, which has also seen him travel around the world.
Robert said: “It was a great feeling, the fact we managed to get out and medal in the mixed when we hadn’t done that before.
“It’s a great feeling when you come off the rope, you’ve given everything you’ve trained for and haven’t got any energy left after you’ve come off, but you’ve managed to win it.
“I’ve been to two or three World Championships before and it’s always a good feeling when you come off the rope – especially when you’re pulling for Scotland.
“We have the outdoor Worlds in Switzerland in September, but I’m not sure if I’m going yet or not.
“There’s another World Indoor in Sweden in February too, and we’re hoping to get teams going all the way to that as well.
“I’ve been to China for indoor and South Africa for outdoor before, which is quite rewarding.
“You get to see different places, compete against different people, and it’s great company you keep as well – you get along with them quite well, even from other countries.”
Biggar Young Farmers has been a hotbed of tug of war success over the years, but Muir says it also runs in his family.
“I’ve been doing this since I was 16, so 10 years,” he said. “I’ve won five World indoor medals for Scotland and four or five club ones as well.
“It’s a lot of hard training but a rewarding sport when you’re out at the competition.
“I started through my uncle, who has done it since he was in the Young Farmers, and I actually train at my uncle’s farm.
“My other uncle and my papa’s brother’s kids would all do it as well, so quite a few of the family have been into it – it’s quite a tradition.
“There are a few in Biggar who do it, too, and Biggar Young Farmers have done really quite well at the Young Farmers competitions.”
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