UK shot put champion Adele Nicoll says a change of focus has enabled her to reach new heights this season.
Speaking after winning for Birchfield Harriers at the National Athletics League Premiership match at Woodford last weekend, she said her recent surprise national title had given her plenty of confidence going into Birmingham 2022.
Nicoll, who had set a PB of 17.59m at the British Championships, threw 16.10m in Woodford as she prepares to represent Wales at the Commonwealth Games next month. She said: “It was a little down today but I’m absolutely exhausted after the British Championships last weekend. Obviously it’s a big one for me, taking the win at the British Champs so it was a bit of an emotional crash after that. And I’ve been working flat-out this week, I moved house yesterday. But this one today was more about coming here and doing the job for the club. So I’m happy I got the win, got the points.”
Nicoll says beating Sophie McKinna and Amelia Strickler for the title win gave her a “massive confidence boost going into the Commonwealth Games, going in against some rivals that I’ve beaten already.”
Currently ranked ninth in the Commonwealth, she is not placing a ceiling on her achievement in Birmingham.
“I’d like to push on to as close to 18m as I can as soon as possible. Physically I’m more than capable,” she said. “ I work superhard all the time so now it’s just about getting the throws repetitions in and then seeing what I can reproduce. If I can line up with the rest of the girls and throw as far as I can, I’m not going to rule out the chance of bringing home a medal.”
Nicoll, who took up bobsleigh in 2020 and went to this year’s Winter Olympics as a travelling reserve for Great Britain, says deciding to give 100% commitment to sport has boosted her performance levels in recent years.
“I just decided that, at that period of time a couple of years ago, where I was not really achieving what I wanted to, I was giving 70% to everything my life,” she said. “I decided, if I wanted better results, I needed to commit myself 100%. I finished my education and that allowed me then to focus on sport and genuinely just prioritising one thing and putting my all into one thing has reaped the rewards.”
Regarding combining athletics and bobsleigh, she added: “They’re both power sports, so they both require a lot of speed and strength. The strength and conditioning and gym side of things is very similar. I just keep the same programme all year round regardless of winter and summer. Obviously, I change the periodisation of it to peak at certain times. The aim is to peak in August now, which is perfect because after the Commonwealth Games I then have testing for bobsleigh, so it works well.”
