Starc timing his jump to perfection
Published Tue 01 Oct 2019
Brandon Starc has had a frustrating run with injury in 2019, but the current World Number 4 is primed for a big showing at the World Championships in Doha.
High Jump qualification starts tonight, Tuesday 1st October at 4:50pm local time, 11:50pm AEST.
It’s been an interrupted season when his back flared up in February, and has been managing a bulging disc.
“I wasn’t planning on doing it like this, but earlier in the year my back wasn’t cooperating. But the medical team here are definitely doing a wonderful job keeping me in one piece.
“I had a good period at home, six or seven weeks, where I could do some good training, and that was evident in Birmingham and Zurich.”
It was those events that has helped regain the confidence. In Birmingham on 18th August, he won with a height of 2.30m, while in Zurich two weeks later, he placed second also with a height of 2.30m.
“I just needed a couple of feelers to get that feeling in my head and now it’s just re-creating that.”
“The Zurich comp wasn’t outstanding, but I was clean all the way to 2.30. So it was definitely good for the noggin.”
“I’m capable or more I definitely know that.”
Starc is hoping to build on a remarkable 2018 campaign that started with him winning the Commonwealth games gold with a PB 2.32m. After a gradual start in Europe (two 2.20m jumps) he equalled his PB 2.32m in Hungary, then set a PB 2.33m in Birmingham in August. A week later he added another astonishing 3cm to his best with an amazing 2.36m clearance in Germany. The mark equalled the Australian record of Tim Forsyth set 21 years ago at the time, in 1997.
“You make the final, anything can happen. I just have to back myself and do what I do best.”
It could be golden period for Starc in his life, as he ties the knot to his fiancé Laura next month in the Hunter Valley. But Brandon has been staying away from the wedding preparations.
“Yeah, Laura’s great. She’s done all of it pretty much. It’s only because she’s very organised and gets on top of things very quickly.”
“This year and towards next year, age wise and maturity of how I’m performing, I think I’m probably at my peak. I could be better in a few years time, I don’t know, but right now I’m definitely at the best performing age that I’m at. So it’s quite exciting.”
