Champ’s colossal battle

COMEBACK TRAIL: Olympian’s battle with anxiety

LOCAL Olympic hopeful Damien Birkinhead would rank Tokyo Olympics qualification as a greater achievement than his first Games four years ago.

Birkinhead, 26, revealed he has battled form and anxiety in recent years as he attempts to become a multiple Olympian.

The Teesdale product holds the Australian shot put record, but said there were times when he doubted he would get back on the field.

“I’ve had a rough couple of years with my throwing and a few mental health issues,” Birkinhead said.

GEELONG Olympic hopeful Damien Birkinhead would rank qualification for the Tokyo Olympics as a greater career achievement than his first Games appearances four years ago.

Birkinhead, 26, has revealed he has battled form and anxiety in recent years as he attempts to become a multiple Olympian.

The Teesdale product holds the Australian shot put record and is one of the country’s best in the discipline, but said there were times when he doubted he would get back on the field.

“I’d say it probably did,” Birkinhead said when asked if he had considered retirement. “It (anxiety) feels pretty hopeless at times and (you) don’t really know what to do.”

Birkinhead reached the final in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and threw an Australian record of 21.35m the following year.

The “Colossus from Corio” placed fifth at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

“I’ve had a rough couple of years with my throwing and a few mental health issues,” he said. “I’ve struggled a bit so I’m just trying to get back into more PB-shape and then hopefully make the Olympics.”

Birkinhead’s size has also fluctuated but he is back to competition weight of 138kg.

“I’ve suffered from pretty bad anxiety and stuff like that and pretty much thought I was dying a lot and going to hospital a lot for panic attacks,” he said.

“I became obsessed with my health really. I lost 20kg, then put it back on. I got the anxiety and form sort of started going away.”

The former Corio Athletics Club athlete is warming into his season, which included the recent Victorian Country Championships at Landy Field, where he threw 19.84m.

“It’s a little bit lower than where I’d like to be, but I feel like my training is progressing pretty well for what I want to do at the end of March for nationals and going into the international season,” he said.

“I’m just currently building up.”

His next meet will be an international track challenge in Auckland on February 23, which will be followed by the state and national titles.

He needs to throw 21.10m to meet the qualifying mark for Tokyo but could also reach his second Olympics based on other performances.

“I could actually go by throwing an average of 20.50m,” he said.

“They want the top 15 to qualify using the 21.10m. You pretty much have to be top 32 in the world.”

Birkinhead said making Tokyo would be more satisfying than making the Rio team.

“Obviously it’s been a bit more challenging this time to get myself up there and throwing far,” he said.

“Making your first Olympics is pretty exciting but I feel like if I make it this time, there’s a lot of work I’ve had to put in and a lot of things I’ve changed.

“I’ve had a few big training throws, I just need to get it together and get it more consistent, get my average up so when I go into comp I can get a bigger one out.

“The goal is just to try and be a bit more consistent at the moment.”

“I’ve suffered from pretty bad anxiety and stuff like that and pretty much thought I was dying a lot and going to hospital a lot for panic attacks.”

— DAMIEN BIRKINHEAD