Hailing From: Scone, Perth Scotland
Throwing Since: 2018
Derek has been throwing for nearly six years and has competed internationally in twenty-eight live in-person competitions and eleven online competitions. Most people know his throwing from watching the Aim Games. He enjoys throwing double-bit axes and tomahawks but knives are his original passion. He loves throwing at any competition in general but the Aim Games suits his life the best. As he says, "I'm retired, I have time and I can throw in the back garden."
In his first live competition, he just spectated. He met for the first time John Taylor and George Leeming, two well known persons in the UK community. They both took the time to introduce him to throwing. He thanks Ian Radmore for getting him into double-bit ax. When he first met thrower Mikey Atkins, he suggested Derek try the Aim Games and he started on K12. From there, he was hooked. He watches Aim Games stars Marcus Pehart and Paul Maccarone to enjoy, learn and improve. He says without the Aim Games, his throwing would probably have not gone on this long. They kept him going through Covid especially. To quote Derek directly, "The Aim Games concept is brilliant. The games are a chance to interact with people. You’re part of a world-wide community. I'm at a loss for words because it’s been a total change for me. I’m kind of a quiet person. I don’t go out a lot. I don’t play sports generally. Being a part of this has been a revelation for me."
Nickname Backstory:
"There was this one Scots lad who tried calling me Hawkeye, which sounds similar to 'och aye’. 'Och aye, the noo' is a phrase used by the English to, lovingly, poke fun at Scottish dialect. As a joke, that evolved into ‘Hawkeye the Gnu’, as in the wildebeest. I even made a t-shirt for it".
Advice To New Throwers:
"Try different implements. I took a while to find ones that work, so do your research, find what suits you best for what you can afford and practice.Take opportunities to enter competitions and try to meet other throwers. Every thrower I’ve ever met has gladly handed me a set of knives to try out".
Notable Achievements:
Outside the Aim Games, Derek has had 31 top 3 finishes, including 14 wins, across 37 major national and international competitions held live in the UK, Canada and online.
Inside the Aim Games, Derek holds a 14 Superstar rank, has won eleven consecutive top 10 and seven top 3 placements from November 2019 to March 2024, and took the 1st place victory in 'K18 Pirate Island'.