Keira throws herself into sporting success

A young sportswoman from Duns has proven her athletic prowess by scooping Gold for Scotland in Javelin at this year’s UK School Games, in the same week as beginning a full-time course at Borders College.

Keira Waddell, aged 16, has just begun a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Coaching and Developing Sport at the College’s Galashiels campus.  As if that wasn’t enough of a challenge, a mere week after competing in an England championship event Keira then threw herself into succeeding in the Athletic discipline of Javelin (Girls category) at the 2018 School Games (held annually at Loughborough University).

Keira was delighted to achieve first place as well as a new personal best of 50.39m, beating last year’s personal best by an impressive 7.46m.  She went into the event, one of the most important of the year, well prepared after taking some time out of training so as to avoid injury, and counts strong family support as key to her success.

A keen and motivated Javelin thrower, she first became involved in the sport at her S1 Sports Day at Berwickshire High School when she came first, beating all her male contemporaries.

Keira, who has just entered her second year throwing for the Edinburgh Athletic Club, says:
“I never enjoyed academic subjects at school, and coming to study my HND in Coaching and Developing Sport at the College allows me to do something I enjoy and excel at, as well as focusing on my Javelin at the same time.”
The young athlete is now looking forward to her last event of the season, the Youth Development League Final in Bedford, at which she is representing her Edinburgh club.  Then her focus will be on completing her HND, after which she hopes to progress to University and throw Javelin competitively for a University team.