Medal-winning Ipswich athlete Darrin Norwood.
WHEN you’re as focused on success as Darrin Norwood, there’s little time to put your feet up.
Just hearing his past deeds of endurance at national competitions can be enough to leave you short of breath.
However, Ipswich’s athletics ironman is reducing his competitive workload as he fine-tunes for the world masters championships in October.
After some massive 20 plus event programs in recent years, Norwood has decided to concentrate on his throwing disciplines as he recovers from a stomach hamatoma suffered at the Oceania championships last year.
“I’ve pretty much decided I’m only going to do throws for the rest of this year because of the injury not healing properly,” Norwood, 37, said.
“It’s stopping me from actually sprinting or jumping at the moment.”
He continued his steady recovery progress in steamy conditions at last weekend’s Queensland open track and field championships at QSAC.
Personal best throws in the shotput (14.53m) and hammer (38.76) produced a silver and bronze medal at his first major competition since his injury scare in the Cook Islands last October.
“I was happy with them considering my leg was still giving me a little bit of grief,” he said.
“I can’t really drive through that hard. I’m just relying on a lot of brute strength to get through it at the moment.”
Norwood suffered excruciating pain while competing at the Oceania titles, where he won five gold medals and a silver.
He later discovered the torment in his femur was related to a stomach condition that needed urgent treatment.
While dealing with his injury issues, Norwood has been bulking up to improve his strength size.
He’s reached 110kg, keen to add another 5kg before heading to Perth for the world masters.
But before taking on the world, he’s planning a busy April.
Norwood is keen to work on his throws at the Australian open championships and Olympic trials in Sydney, as well as the national masters titles in Adelaide.
“If I make the final, I’ll be stoked,” the 2016 Ipswich Australia Day sports award winner said.
“My main goal is by the end of April, I want to hit 15m (in the shotput), which will be my short-term goal.”
Norwood was among the most successful Ipswich and District Athletic Club competitors at the latest state championships.
Other medal winners were Montanna McAvoy and Claire Keefer.
Club newcomer McAvoy won a silver in the open 1500m with a personal best run of 4.33.17.
Keefer, who competes in the F41 category, collected a silver in the Open Ambulent discus (23.08m). She also came fourth in the shotput (7.11m).
Sprinters Larissa Chambers and Miriam Peni performed well.
Chambers came fifth in the 200m A final (24.97) and sixth in the open 400m final (57.39).
Peni, 17, came fifth in the open 200m B final (26.02).
The fine Ipswich results came despite the hot conditions.
The Ipswich and District Athletic Club’s latest success follows some outstanding efforts at the recent Queensland Junior championships.
