Tin of beans helps keep Olympic pole vault ace Holly Bradshaw in shape

Under normal circumstances, the Euxton athlete would have been busy preparing for the Olympics which were due to take place later this summer.

Unfortunately, the entire summer athletics calendar has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Tokyo Games have been postponed until next summer.

The virus has also prevented athletes like Bradshaw from visiting training venues and facilities so that she can keep on top of both her fitness and technique.

However, the 28-year-old has been finding ways and means to train at home and also in open spaces during the one-hour of exercise which was permitted under lockdown.

One of her training routines has involved a washing pole and a tin of beans.

“My coach and I tried to come up with some quirky ideas. I’ve taken a tin of beans to the end of a cut pole to make it a bit heavier and I’ve been doing drills and pole runs in the garden to try and keep my brain ticking over,” said Bradshaw, who is based in Loughborough..

“I’ve also been doing some visualisation work with my coach and psychologist where we went through a training session where I was in the HiPAC (High Performance Athletics Centre) in Loughborough.

"I am quite lucky in that I have got a bit of a home gym in my garage so I have been able to keep up with the strength training and circuits.

"I have been able to find grassy areas and roads to keep up with any kind of running.

"I have obviously been affected in the way I do my event which is the pole vault but I have been able to tick over, keep sane and do something."

With the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games postponed for at least 12 months, Bradshaw touched upon the fact that this would not necessarily impact on her own long-term goals:

She said: “I was planning on keeping going until at least 2022 anyway.

“For me, it’s the same goals but just a year later. I’d obviously much prefer to be going to the Olympics this summer though.

“I’m still motivated, I’ve still got high expectations of myself but at the minute the consequences of people dying in UK is really serious.

“So, by doing my bit by staying at home is my main focus rather than wanting to win an Olympic medal.”

For those looking to continue their fitness programmes at home, Loughborough Sport has partnered with the Technogym mywellness app to give all students, staff, campus partners and the local community free daily workouts. Access : https://www.lboro.ac.uk/sport/lockdown/training/