Competitors
Heavy Athletics

Cowal Gathering’s Cowal Championship attracts the world’s top heavy athletes – men and women – so as a competitor you’ll be up against the very best. Regular competitors include Neil Elliott, Heisi Geirmundsson and Daniel Dorow. Germans, Belgians and Icelanders often join the Scots to do battle for the prestigious silverware.
You will see athletes shot put the 16lb ball, throw the 28lb weight for distance, throw the 16lb Scottish hammer, launch the 56lb weight for height, toss the caber and shot-putt the historic Cowal Stone – a 34lbs stone that’s twice the weight of a standard shot put.
Last year, we were delighted to welcome an Austrian team to compete in the Cowal International Championship – Scotland’s ONLY international heavy athletics championship. The Austrian team joined Scotland, Germany and Iceland.
We will shortly be announcing the 2023 Heavy Athletics events on this page, so keep an eye out!
The heavy athletics events are sponsored by the Scottish Salmon Company
FRIDAY 26TH AUGUST
Friday’s competition will start at 1.30pm on the main arena and will see the male competitors compete in;
- Weight for Height
- Weight for Distance
- Putting the Cowal Stone
- The Scots Hammer
- Tossing the Caber
SATURDAY 27TH AUGUST
Saturday’s competition will start on the main arena at 12 noon and will see the male and femal competitors compete for the Cowal Trophies including the unique Sutherland Trophy.
Events will include;
- Weight for Height
- Weight for Distance
- Putting the Cowal Stone
- The Scots Hammer
- Tossing the Caber
The heavy athletics competitions are sponsored by The Scottish Salmon Company.
Some of the finest international competitors will compete in the iconic and historical heavy athletics on the Friday and Saturday of the Cowal Gathering.
This year’s competitors include some of the top, homegrown Scottish athletes taking on top international athletes including the Icelandic and German National Champions.
Events will include:
- Throwing the 28lb weight for distance
- Throwing the 16lb Scots style hammer
- 56lb weight for height
- Putting the 16lb ball
- Putting the Cowal Stone
- The iconic Tossing of the caber
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