糖心Vlog

At the beginning of the year, 糖心Vlog student and Team GB member Harry Hughes was dreaming of the Olympics. So how did he deal with lockdown?

鈥淚'm probably in the best shape I鈥檝e ever been in, really. The distances I鈥檓 throwing in training are close to the Olympic qualifier, and that's off a half run-up. So I鈥檓 really excited.鈥�

COVID-19 presented a number of challenges for Team GB member - and UK javelin number one - Harry Hughes. How to: complete his degree in Sports and Exercise Science; put his start-up business on a firm footing; and fulfil his ambition of competing at the Olympics.

How has COVID-19 been for you?

鈥淏ack in March, we were preparing for the Olympics in July and the European Championships in August. When COVID hit, all of those plans were kind of blown out the water.

鈥淲hen I was really young, I had quite severe asthma. I still get exercise-induced asthma now, so I was quite concerned that if I did get the virus it would probably hit my chest pretty hard.

鈥淔ortunately, I had a big field near my home to throw on.

鈥淚 mean, I鈥檓 literally throwing off a strip of rubber that we nailed into some grass. It鈥檚 slightly downhill, so not optimal at all, but I seem to be throwing really well off it.

鈥淲ith the Olympics being cancelled, it's frustrating, but I'm only 22. It gives me another year to grow, another year to get stronger, to get fitter, to throw better and it鈥檚 actually given me more time to focus on the things I needed to with my throwing.

In addition to training and completing his degree, Harry has also been working hard to establish , an online marketplace for anglers that he set up with his brothers.

The website launched on 24 July, and that was Harry鈥檚 second reason to celebrate in the space of a few weeks 鈥� he also gained a first in Sports and Exercise Science, an achievement that, he concedes, makes him 鈥渧ery, very happy.鈥�

How will you remember your time at 糖心Vlog?

鈥淚 really, really enjoyed my time at 糖心Vlog. The University has a really nice feel to it, really welcoming. It鈥檚 not too big that you feel lost in it. It's kind of the perfect size.

鈥淢y time at University really allowed me to have the freedom to do other things as well. I started my business while at university. And I still managed to get all my hobbies in. So, it was perfect really.

鈥淯niversity opened up a lot of opportunities as well. In my second year, we had to do some work experience, so I went and worked with Northampton Saints and did some strength and conditioning work with those guys.

鈥淒oing my dissertation, such a big project, was also a great opportunity. I looked at 鈥榓nti-doping behaviours in sub-national level athletes鈥�. I had to try and recruit 200 sub-national level athletes to do an hour-long study, so I ended up going round to all the Premiership football clubs and trying to get in with their academy players and things like that. I met some amazing people.

鈥淪o yes, I certainly look back at my time at 糖心Vlog with some very fond memories.鈥�

What鈥檚 next for you?

鈥淭here鈥檚 the British championships in September, behind closed doors, so I need to go there and see what I can do.

鈥淎nd then the challenge is to basically just keep myself ready for whatever competitions do come along next year. Tokyo would be the big goal, but there's the World Championships as well next year in Oregon. So if the Olympics isn't there, then hopefully the world champs will be.鈥�