Scott Lincoln to build on foundations laid at Tokyo Olympics

Within five days of returning home from his Olympic debut, Scott Lincoln was back on the building site.
Scott Lincoln: Making his Olympics bow in Tokyo. Picture:  Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesScott Lincoln: Making his Olympics bow in Tokyo. Picture:  Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Scott Lincoln: Making his Olympics bow in Tokyo. Picture: Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Great Britain’s undisputed No 1 shot putter for the last half-decade had just got back from Tokyo where he placed as the 18th best shot putter on the planet.

But there was work to do for his father’s construction company that would not wait for anyone, Olympian or not.

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“It’s good craic with the lads, we have a good laugh with each other and you quickly forget you’ve been to an Olympic Games,” says the 28-year-old bricklayer from Northallerton.

Great Britain's Scott Lincoln in the Mens Shot put qualification at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo. Picture: Martin Rickett/PAGreat Britain's Scott Lincoln in the Mens Shot put qualification at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA
Great Britain's Scott Lincoln in the Mens Shot put qualification at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA

“They ground you pretty quickly and I just like that environment.”

It is an environment and work-life-training balance that has served Lincoln well these past few years.

Twelve times he has won the British title (six indoor, six outdoor) over the last half-dozen years and earlier this summer when he needed to put the work in to realise his dream of making it to the Olympics, he got the results he needed and a ticket on the plane to Tokyo.

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The experience of a first Olympics, of a first major meet for the part-time field athlete, did not disappoint.

“It exceeded all expectations,” he tells The Yorkshire Post. “Even without a crowd it was incredible. Just the way we were treated, the way everything was done for you. You can see why it’s the pinnacle of the sport. You want to be treated like that all the time.

“There was actually a red carpet at our hotel and barriers around it. Even just walking in and out there were people filming you, you felt like a big deal. It was such a good feeling.”

On the day of the shot putt competition, at an empty but awe-inspiring Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Lincoln threw the shot 20m 42cm – good enough for 18th place, but 48 centimetres shy of being in the top 12 that qualified for the final.

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“If I’m being completely honest, I wanted to make the final, I was capable of making it, but it just didn’t happen on the day,” reflects the City of York athlete.

“There’s a lot of things I’d do differently in the lead up, a lot of things I’ve learnt, so as long as I can come away thinking like that, that’s a positive.

“It was slap bang right in the middle of my performances this year, so to hold my own in a competition like that is satisfying.

“I was ranked 32nd in the world going into it and finished 18th so I’ve taken down some big names.”

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Three months on his reward is elevation to the British Athletics funding package as part of the Olympic Podium Potential programme.

It is not full funding, but it is enough to help him take the next step and improve on 18th in the world.

“There’s a lot to the funding,” he explains, “a training camp on offer for three weeks in South Africa, Covid-depending; there’s Bupa healthcare if I get any injuries or niggles I’m straight in for a scan.

“They do a lot of blood testing and things to make sure you’re not deficient in anything.”

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One thing Lincoln does not lack is clarity. While the funding is huge for him, it will not change him. He has no plans to quit the day job.

“I’m going to carry on working, it’s not enough to give up work just yet,” he says.

“To me, right now, everything is so good I don’t want to upset the apple cart.

“The funding gives me more freedom in the summer if I do need a few weeks off or need to knuckle down and have a camp somewhere, I can do it.

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“Don’t get me wrong, in the future I’d like to progress to being a fully-funded athlete but right now it works for me.

“Working on a building site is a good release from throwing. I found that out in lockdown last year when all I could do was train just how important work is; I was over-thinking everything to do with throwing and I was happy to be back at work.”

So for now it is two full days of training a week plus a few evenings. British Athletics want him to focus on the World Championships in Oregon in July but it is such a busy 2022 with a Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and a European Championships in Munich, there are opportunities aplenty.

“I want to be making the final of the worlds, challenging for the top five, if not higher,” he says.

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“I’d like to target a medal in the Europeans and Commonwealths, that would be pretty incredible.

“To be honest, right now, I’m just still buzzing. I’ll get out of the shower and look at my tattoo and it’s the Olympic rings and it’s like ‘wow, did that actually happen’.

“It’s made me hungry for more.”

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