Entry 1: My Butterfingers blasting alarm clock 

So I thought I would open with a typical day in the life of me, a training day.

At the moment I wake up to the radio blaring, an old habit/tradition from the days when ‘Get Up Outta The Dirt’ by my favourite Brisbane band BUTTERFINGERS would get me up and grooving ready for the day. I love my music and always listen to it loud before competing.

My lovely dad Graham (THANKS DAD!) then takes me to the ACTAS gym. I wait whilst dad gets my walking frame out of the boot and am reminded of the sub-zero temperature by the puffs of air coming out of his non-smoking mouth.

From the moment we walk in we are enthusiastically greeted by my friendly, hard-working strength and conditioning coach Dave Briggs, he and my dad watching over me carefully to make sure I don’t cheat (not that I ever would). Just as the Pheonix (Kendall Rixon), the former ACTAS strength and conditioning coach, once CORRECTLY said, ‘CUTTING CORNERS ONLY TAKES THE EDGE OUT OF PERFORMANCE.’

I then see my physio or soft tissue therapist at the AIS to alleviate any niggly aches pains in the hope of nipping them in the bud before they develop into anything serious.

Away from the track (or field to be exact) I am doing my Certificate IV in Business and HR via Flexible Learning, an escape from my sporting commitments and great for keeping my brain active.

I train for shot put mainly but also ‘club throwing’. A club is like a wooden, elongated 10-pin bowling ball that is weighted on one end and is gripped on the narrow end. It’s really quite dangerous so it is vital that anyone in my throwing vicinity (within 360 degrees of me, really) is paying good attention.

I cross train by swimming two to three times a week too. Growing up in a water sports-mad family, it is rather odd that I am now based on the track but without doubt I am so proud to represent Australia.

I am currently the world record-holder for in the F32 shot put and after improving that record three times in three months I intend to do so again in New Delhi. 

I’m not going to name all those who deserve a thankyou but there’s absolutely no way I could have come as far as I have without my mum and coach June Ellery. For everyone else I will wait until I medal in New Delhi.

From there I’ll compete in the IPC World Championships in Christchurch next January where I will throw the fine specimen that is the club and of course the shot put.

Loving the life of an athlete,

Loui