Burghead hammer thrower Mark Dry is keen to make up for lost time after returning to action in impressive style following an enforced three year absence from the sport.
The 34-year-old has turned out in three winter competitions since the start of 2022 and has already secured two Scotland qualifying standards for this year’s Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
However, the Loughborough-based athlete knows there’s still a long journey to be negotiated if he is to get back to the sort of form which earned him Commonwealth bronze medals in 2014 and 2018 and a place at the 2016 Olympic Games.
But he has already overcome colossal challenges which would have crushed many other equally strong-willed athletes.
First there was a series of hip operations culminating in a complete replacement. It was a bad enough setback made worse when Dry was handed a four-year suspension from the sport for admitting to giving false information as to why he missed a drugs test in 2018.
Dry wasn’t present when drugs testers turned up at his East Midlands home for an out-of-season test.
Athletes are required to state where they will be at any time. Dry had gone home to Scotland but panicked and said he was away fishing. He later voluntarily owned up to the lie.
A one-off misdemeanor of this nature usually results in little more than a wrap over the knuckles or a short ban, but Dry was devastated to be landed with a four year penalty – the same level of punishment given to proven drug offenders.
Despite making every legal effort open to him, Dry was unsuccessful in getting the sentence reduced until late last year when he was given a reprieve and told he could return to competition.
He said: “It was so bad having that ban but I was amazed by the response. Even the media has been behind me. I feel I’ve conducted myself well throughout my career and I think most people realise I’m a genuine, decent person. It’s great to be back, everyone has been supportive and there’s been no problems.
“But I’m still blowing away the cobwebs. I didn’t train for two years. I was working on building sites, working as a scaffolder and doing house clearances. So, I’m adjusting to getting back to normal training.
“I feel that I’m in a lucky position. Anything I achieve is a bonus. It’s a win-win for me. I’m in an amazing position as I’ve had a hip replacement, I’ve come back from a ban, I’m 34 years old and I’m competing again.
“I always wanted to be able to finish my career on my own terms, not because of a ban or anything. I’m not coming back for a laugh. I want to do as well as I can. I’m not sure where it will take me but now I’m doing it for fun, which is why I got involved in the sport to begin with.
Dry sets sights on fourth Games
Hammer thrower Mark Dry admits that making a fourth Commonwealth Games appearance for Scotland in Birmingham this summer would be an ideal way to cap his return to top level competition.
The Burghead athlete first represented his country at the Delhi Games in 2010, finishing sixth. He then won bronze at Hampden Park in 2014 before repeating the feat at Gold Coast four years.
Dry said: “Competing for Scotland in another Commonwealth Games would be another dream come true and getting a medal would be like winning the lottery.
“Equally if I finished last I would still be happy that at least I was able to do it. I am always proud to represent Scotland and I’d love to pull on the vest and wear the kilt again.”
The qualifying standard to be considered for Birmingham is 69.01m. Dry’s best is 76.93 set in 2015 but with his lengthy absence from the sport, he acknowledges there’s some way to go before he can begin to think about that sort of distance again.
But, with very little training or competition, he has already this year thrown 69.91 and 70.03.
Dry said: “It’s going to be a long process but I’m reasonably happy so far. I thought it would be a lot worse.
“I never expected to come straight back in and throw big right away. These competitions just now are really valuable but it matters further down the line.
“My baseline has picked up now and I feel much more consistent and confident. I’ll soon be ready to really attack it.”
Looking slightly further into the future, he hasn’t ruled out going for Paris Olympic Games selection in 2024.
He said: “Never say never. I’ll know if I’m not capable of getting there. But until I’ve put in the work, I won’t know.”
Max expected to set the pace
Fraserburgh’s Max Abernethy is favourite to win the men’s title in the North District 10k road running championships at Nairn on Sunday.
The 20-year-old Aberdeen University student won the North cross country title in December and is keen to add to his growing list of honours.
Moray’s Scotland international Kenny Wilson, the 2016 Nairn race winner and runner-up in 2020, has withdrawn as he prefers to focus on preparing for next month’s Manchester marathon.
Abernethy’s rivals will include two other Moray athletes, James Wilson and Ewan Davidson.
Inverness Harriers members Amy Hudson,Katja Blunden and Lesley Hansen should be among the front runners in the women’s race along with Louise Cartmell (Moray Road Runners) and Sarah Attwood (Skye and Lochalsh).
Meanwhile, Aberdeen AAC’s Myles Edwards, winner of the Scottish indoor 1500m title last month, hopes to compete in the sixth and final race in the Proms 3k series today.
The 33-year-old has already won the men’s title after posting the three quickest times in earlier rounds of the competition.
Edwards previously won the series in season 2014-2015 when he established the current cumulative time record of 26:27. He has already improved that to 25:45 but has scope to improve it further with another fast time tomorrow.
Metro Aberdeen’s Martin Mueller has won the most recent two races in the series and looks sure to claim second position overall. His clubmate Paul Knight should secure third spot overall and first in the over-40 age division.
Aimee Tawse (Aberdeen AAC) is strongly placed to secure the women’s title for the first time with Rosie Hislop and Elaine Wilson currently holding second and third positions.