Throws Preview - In form and ready to launch
Published Sun 01 Apr 2018
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Javelin thrower Kathryn Mitchell (Vic) is set for her best ever Commonwealth Games performance after an incredibly dominant domestic season where she twice set new national records. Mitchell is just one of a strong contingent of Australian throwers who are gold medal favourites for the Gold Coast Games.
The Victorian, who’ll be competing in a record-equalling fourth Games, has her sights set on gold after previous appearances netted her efforts of
At the age of 35, she is having her best season ever. In February she won the Australian title, her first for 10 years, with a mark of 65.51m which preceded the Australian record throw of 68.57m at the Victorian Championships on March 3. The performance, which took down 2014 Commonwealth champion Kim Mickle's standard, was the longest in the world since 2013, an Area Record and elevated her to number 7 in history. Mickle recently announced her retirement from javelin after battling injury over the past two years.
With 19 medals from past Games, Australia’s tradition as the dominant force in women’s javelin throwing is set to continue with teammate and Glasgow bronze medallist Kelsey-Lee Roberts (ACT) coming into the Games in the shape of her life with a recent personal best of 64.57m in Brisbane at the Queensland Track Classic on 28 March.
South Africa’s Olympic silver medallist Sunette Viljoen, who is returning from injury, is the main threat to the Aussie duo and recorded a mark of 62.46m in Sasolburg last week.
In the women’s discus, Dani Stevens (NSW) will attempt to defend her title from Glasgow. The world silver medallist in 2017 with a monster Oceania record of 69.64m is in career best shape and has enjoyed a consistent domestic season with three throws over 65m, distances which would have been good enough to win gold at all but one previous
Taryn Gollshewsky (QLD) will compete at her second Games as Kim Mulhall (VIC) makes her discus debut at the Games after competing in the shot put in 2014.
Hammer thrower Alex Hulley (NSW) was the fourth-ranked thrower in the Commonwealth last year and comes into the Games in good shape having recorded 67.09m in Sydney earlier this year, and has strong medal aspirations.
Hulley will be joined by teammates, Queenslander Lara Nielsen (9th in 2014) and Tasmanian Dani McConnell.
All the stars point to a barrier-breaking performance by Cam Crombie (ACT) in the F38 Shot Put. In his international para-athletics debut, at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships, the towering 1.97m tall ex-rower won gold and set a world record of 15.95m. But a recent training performance suggests that record is due to
Look out for what could be the first medal sweep of the Games with fellow throwers Martin Jackson (VIC) and Jayden Sawyer (ACT) ranked second and third in the Commonwealth.
Victorian Damien
In the men's discus, Australian champion Matt Denny (Qld) and 2010 champion Benn Harradine (Qld) threw solidly at the Australian championships in February with 64.03m and 63.56m respectively. A repeat of those performances would put them on the podium based on past Games results.
The duo will have to be at their best to take on the mighty Jamaican Fedrick Dacres, who just 4 weeks ago at the aptly named Kingston King of the Ring competition threw a whopping 69.83m to better his own national record by 1 metre only to have the performance nullified as the implement weighed in 1g under correct weight.
Harradine has been the stalwart of Australian discus throwing for more than a decade and competes in the Commonwealth Games vest for a record-equalling fourth time. Hoping to go out in style the only male indigenous member of the team has announced he will retire after these Games.
Mitch Cooper rounds out the trio of Queenslanders.
When Denny takes to the circle for the discus he will become the second Australian athlete, and first in 68 years, to compete in both hammer and discus at the Commonwealth Games, following Keith Pardon who completed the same double at the 1938 and 1950 Empire Games.
For the hammer, which will be decided on the first day of the athletics program, Denny is in the shape of his life coming off a personal best of 74.77m at the Brisbane Summer of Athletics Grand Prix which was the biggest throw by an Australian in 12 years and moved him to 4th on the all-time list. A repeat of that throw would augur well for a medal, maybe even gold.
Denny is joined by Huw Peacock (TAS) who represented Australia at the Glasgow Games and Jack Dalton (VIC).
In the javelin, 2014 silver-medallist Hamish Peacock (TAS) threw 83.63m in his season’s opener in Hobart. After several meets under the 80m benchmark, the Tasmanian returned to form by winning his final preparation event in Brisbane this week with 80.25m. Luke Cann (WA) placed 7th in Glasgow and has had mixed results this season.
The late Jarrod Bannister was Australia's last Commonwealth Games javelin champion when he won in Delhi with 81.71m.
Pat Birgan for Athletics Australia
Pic. Courtesy David Tarbotton
Follow all the action of the XXI Commonwealth Games
The 2018 Commonwealth Games will be held on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, from Wednesday 4 April to Sunday 15 April 2018.
Athletics action kicks off on Sunday 8 April and continues until Sunday 15 April.
- Athletics Australia on Instagram
- Media Guide for 2018 Commonwealth Games (PDF)
- Commonwealth Games Australia
- Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games
Tickets
You can still buy athletics tickets for Gold Coast Commonwealth Games including for finals sessions;
Don’t miss your chance to witness
TV and Digital
The Seven Network will broadcast content on all three of their TV channels - 7, 7TWO and 7Mate.
You can download the 7CommGames app from both the Google Play and Apple store or watch via the website version.
The app and website will have all events on TV and every medal event live, in full and available for free.
Athletics will be hosted by
Bruce McAvaney
Lord Sebastian Coe
Dave Culbert
Steve Hooker
Tamsyn Lewis
With Pat Welsh trackside and Melinda Gainsford-Taylor and Jane Flemming providing additional commentary.
How to listen on radio
ABC Local and Regional Stations – Updates throughout the day with live continuous
coverage from 7.00 pm
The ABC
Grandstand Digital DAB+ – broadcasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
ABC Online – ABC Grandstand will stream its Games coverage
Karen Tighe will host the broadcast with Quentin Hill covering Athletics along with Australia’s fastest man, Patrick Johnson providing expert commentary.