Shot putter McKinna targets LA Games swansong

Sophie McKinna finished fifth at the UK Championships in Manchester

Shot putter Sophie McKinna is determined to have one final crack at the Olympics after a serious elbow injury ended her dreams of competing in Paris.

The 29-year-old from Gorleston in Norfolk has won multiple national titles and qualified for the Tokyo Games in 2021.

But she missed most of the 2023 season following elbow surgery and was not able to recover fully in time to be part of the British team in the French capital.

"Obviously Tokyo was in Covid time, there were no crowds, my family couldn't come and watch. My aim is still to experience a normal Olympics and hopefully LA will be that chance," McKinna told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"Realistically I don't honestly think after having surgery and the big injury to my elbow, I ever would have made it [to Paris].

"But there's still a little bit of disappointment in the background there."

The Olympics will take place in Los Angeles in 2028, 44 years on from when the city last staged the event.

Two years before that will be the Commonwealth Games - if a new host city can be found after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew - and the European Championships, both of which are also targets for McKinna.

"I would love for the Commonwealth Games to go ahead because it's such a big thing. That is a big milestone and the European Championships are going to be in Birmingham and I hope to make that as well," she said.

"That's what I'm going to be focusing on, checking those boxes on the way to the Olympics in LA in four years.

"An Olympics in LA is pretty special and that would ultimately be where I retired as well and if you're going to do it, you might as well go out in LA with a bit of a bang."

McKinna - also a British powerlifting champion - contemplated having to retire at one stage, such was the severity of her injury.

"The injury itself was really hard but then the rehab and everything that followed was a really difficult time," she added.

"I've had injuries in my career that have put roadblocks in the way but nothing as big as this.

"A surgery and basically a reconstruction of my elbow was obviously something really serious, particularly for a shot putter. It was really difficult to get over and the rehab was probably the hardest bit to mentally push through."

So how is McKinna coping with the coverage from Paris when she is not involved?

"Although I am enjoying the Olympics, I am keeping half an eye on it rather than fully engrossed in it," she added.

"I want everyone to perform to their best. Making the Olympics is such a huge achievement and I'll always support my team-mates out there and all of Team GB.

"You want to see people do well for the country and for the sport. I'm still disappointed for myself but certainly there's no bitterness or resentment towards the people that have made it."