Sporting Chance: Elaine Park and John Magnus Laurenson

Elaine Park

Age: 31
Birthplace: Aberdeen
Medal tally: None yet

A successful island games in Åland would be. . .

At least one 40 metre plus throw in the hammer and I’ll be happy.

I mainly got into athletics because . . .

I could run quite fast when I was younger and I was encouraged to go to training by a number of people. We got to try the hammer during a coaching course a few years later and I’ve been addicted ever since.

My best achievements so far have been . . .

An agonising fourth in the hammer in Rhodes (least said the better).

A way of improving athletics in Shetland would be . . .

Access to an indoor athletics facility (or a dome over the track at Clickimin).

Currently I most admire . . .

Honesty, determination and perseverance.

My main ambition for the future is . . .

Personally I’d like not to finish fourth in Åland (I’m sure everyone who has ever been fourth understands me there). On the coaching side I’d love to see all our athletes achieve their full potential this season.

In my spare time away from athletics I like to . . .

Wonder what it was that I forgot to do that gave me spare time.

Musically I like to listen to . . .

A variety really (although I am assured by the younger athletes at the club that my taste is rubbish).

I like to read . . .

Anything with a good plot line. I love finding a book that I can’t put down.

And watch . . .

Grey’s Anatomy, CSI and House.

The best films I’ve seen are . . .

I’ll watch anything with a clever plotline or that keeps me laughing.

My favourite actors/actresses are . . .

Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Patrick Dempsey.

My pet hates include . . .

Rudeness and people on television with bad grammar.

My favourite food and drink is . . .

Mushroom risotto, Orkney fudge cheesecake and Gallo White Grenache with ice.

The best country I have visited so far is . . .

Gotland, where we were for the games in 1999. The island had great scenery and the people were really friendly.

I would most like to meet . . .

Usain Bolt (I think raw sporting talent like that deserves to be witnessed first hand) or Dara O’Briain (purely because he’s hilarious).

If I won millions on the lottery I would . . .

Get my house built, make sure my family have everything they need and then start looking at locations for that indoor facility.

In my wildest dreams, the ideal way of spending a day/night would be . . .

An athletics competition in the morning in which all the Shetland athletes would medal, Mamma Mia in London’s West End for the afternoon and a barbecue with my friends and family at night (possibly with a few drams).

Anything to add . . .

Just a shameless plug for the athletics competition we’re holding at the Clickimin track on Sunday.

The competition is open to everyone over the age of nine and athlete registration is at 10.30am. Entry is free and everyone is welcome.

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John Magnus Laurenson

Age: 49
Birthplace: Lerwick
Medal tally: three bronze and two silver.

A successful island games in Åland would be . . .

To shoot as well as I can, and hope for a medal.

I mainly got into clay pigeon shooting because . . .

I had to give up football due to knee injuries.

My best achievements so far have been . . .

Five medals in the island games, and the highest qualifying score in Scotland for the international shooting team last year.

A way of improving clay pigeon shooting would be . . .

To put a roof over the shooting stands at the range, to keep the Shetland weather out.

Currently I most admire . . .

Our lady shooters, Lou Jackson and Jo Dunlop, for their determination and their medals in Rhodes, and also the Whalsay bowling team.

My main ambition for the future is . . .

To get a gold medal in the island games before it’s too late.

In my spare time away from clay pigeon shooting I like to . . .

Go fishing in my boat.

Musically I like to listen to . . .

Most kinds of music except heavy metal and opera.

I like to read . . .

Non fiction: tales of old sailing and fishing voyages.

And watch . . .

Sport and documentaries.

The best films I’ve seen are . . .

The Shawshank Redemption and Mr Bean.

My favourite actors/actresses are . . .

Rowan Atkinson.

My pet hates include . . .

Giving speeches, karaoke and Jane Moncrieff’s interviews at the island games . . . oh, and whisky.

My favourite food and drink is . . .

Salt herring or whitings and new Ness tatties, followed by John Peter Blance’s sticky toffee pudding and custard. Drinks would be lager tops and Baileys.

The best country I have visited so far is . . .

America.

I would most like to meet . . .

No-one in particular.

If I won millions on the lottery, I would . . .

Phone Alan Walterson to check the ticket, and then phone Andrew Inkster and tell him that Shift One had retired.

In my wildest dreams, the ideal way of spending a day/night would be . . .

To tow Shetland to the Canaries for a better climate, but that would probably take more than a day and a night.

Anything to add . . .

I would like to thank Jim Work for all his unseen ground work at the shooting range, and wish good luck to all the Shetland competitors in Åland.