Henry Heaton is a track and field field athlete who made it to OFSAA this past season in the discus event but he's making more noise throwing heavy weights at Highland Games events.
"I honestly like this more than track because it's a little less structured and the events are more fun," Heaton told Powerplay Sports. "Way less technique needed. When the weights get heavier you're gonna need more technique but I'm at a point right now where the weights are pretty light for me still so I can really toss 'em."
Heaton recently competed at the Greater Moncton Highland games which welcomed athletes from across the country between the ages of 13 and 19. He won the youth 13-16 national championship while setting records along the way.
His track coach, Celine Freeman-Gibb, is a mainstay on the Highland Games circuit and says Heaton, a member of the UWAC Throws team, is strong and explosive for his age which makes him a good thrower in both heavy events and track and field.
"Henry came out to a heavy events clinic I ran last year and was an instant natural," Freeman-Gibb said of the 16-year old. "He picked up a caber on his first attempt and was able to move with the weights effortlessly."
"I just do it for fun," Heaton said. "If I get really good and manage to become the best in Canada I think that would be awesome but I just do it for fun, for now at least."
Freeman-Gibb feels Heaton will have an excellent high school throwing career but knows he can become a force in heavy events. "Most days at track practice he will ask me if we can throw heavy events instead. Definitely keep an eye out for this kid moving through the ranks from a Junior thrower into the Amateur class in a handful of years.”
