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‘It’s all hitting me right now’ – Burghead thrower Mark Dry reflects on emotional fourth Commonwealth Games

Mark Dry waves to the crowd after the men's hammer at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Photo by Bobby Gavin.
Mark Dry waves to the crowd after the men's hammer at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Photo by Bobby Gavin.

To say Mark Dry has been through the wringer just to reach the Commonwealth Games would be a killer understatement.

Stepping foot inside the hammer circle at the Alexander Stadium, adorned with a Scotland vest, would have felt like an achievement in itself.

Two hip reconstructions, followed by its eventual replacement, and a 28-month ban from competition for misleading anti-doping investigators could have killed his career. At times it pushed his spirit to breaking point.

It was understandable then, as the Burghead thrower walked through the mixed zone, after a 10th-placed finish at his fourth Games, the emotions of the last few years caught up with him.

“I’m extremely proud more than anything else,” said Dry. “It’s frustrating and embarrassing, but I’m proud. It’s a lot to process.

“It was all a bit last-minute, to put everything else aside until after the competition, and it’s all hitting me right now.

“I’m extremely proud to have been out there and wear the vest again. I’m disappointed not to bring back a medal for Scotland – I know that’s what a lot of people want from me. Honestly, I’m just happy to be here.

“It’s just such a privilege to be here. I don’t want to be upset or regret anything and, as much as I don’t seem it right now, I’m actually really happy.

Dry has been on the Commies before. On home soil in 2014, he was a bronze-medalist, a feat he repeated Down Under four years later.

There were to be no heroics this time around. His second throw of 66.86m was ultimately his furthest, not enough to earn him passage to the business end of the competition.

“It was a very tough competition, a bit of a slow-burner,” he said. “It’s always tough to make the top eight. Nobody has any divine right to bring medal’s home or any divine right to make the cut.

“It is frustrating. Everyone has tried their hearts out. That’s just the way it goes. This is my fourth Games and you can’t win them all.

“I’m lucky enough to have two medals at home and four vests. That means more to me than anything else.

“The crowd have been fantastic. There’s so many Scotland flags in the crowd. If this is the last time I get to do this, it’s been a pleasure.”

Mark Dry embraces Scotland's 1500m bronze-medalist Jake Wightman at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Photo by Bobby Gavin
Mark Dry embraces Scotland’s 1500m bronze-medalist Jake Wightman at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Photo by Bobby Gavin

Dry certainly seemed to be enjoying himself, despite everything. When England’s Joe Ellis launched himself into third place with his final throw of 73.09m, Dry was among those to share a chest-bump with the medal contender.

Ellis’ joy was short-lived, as Cyprus’ Alexandros Poursanidis pipped him to bronze with the next throw, but it brought back fond memories for the 35-year-old.

“Watching the boys come alive, I know what it feels like,” said Dry. “I know what it feels like it. I did it in Glasgow and last time round in Gold Coast.

“I very nearly watched Joe Ellis do what I did. He wasn’t sitting in the bronze medal position and went ahead, but the Cypriot turned him over.

“To be able to share that with someone else, is a huge privilege. I have no divine right to do it again and I know people expect me to pull one out in the last round. Trust me, I wish it was as easy as that as well.”