David Parker – Strength and Conditioning

David has been involved in the Javelin Throw for over 20 years and has a broad range of knowledge and experience relating to the event. As a talented all round sportsperson, it was his father Phil that discovered he had a natural affinity with throwing things and the transition to Javelin Throwing became fairly swift. Phil introduced David to Wilf Paish and later John Trower which led to a very successful throwing career as a young athlete from that point, winning the English Schools Championships and the AAAs U20 title 4 years in succession (a feat that had never and has still never been repeated). He also went on to win the World Junior Championship in 1998 and gained further success in 1999 winning silver in the European Junior Champs & finished his junior career with a throw of 77.48m; a throw bettered only by our greatest ever male Javelin Thrower Steve Backley. The high point of his injury plagued senior career came in 2006 when he represented England at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. He has since gone on to focus on his coaching career, and currently coaches a number of young athletes based primarily in Yorkshire as well as around other various parts of the UK. This in addition to supporting the development of the UK Javelin Association.

David graduated from University in 2005 with an MSc in Sports Biomechanics. He works for the English Institute of Sport as a Senior Strength & Conditioning Coach leading the physical development/ preparation programmes for British Diving and Rugby League. He also supports England Athletics with various coach education workshops and has recently become a Tutor and Assessor for the United Kingdom Strength & Conditioning Association (UKSCA).

“In my time had exposure to the best athletes and coaches in the World of Javelin Throwing and the knowledge and experience gained from these opportunities puts me in a strong position to lead the UK Javelin Association forwards to truly become the voice of British Javelin Throwing.”