Jackson Hamilton

EVENTS:  F13 Javelin Throw

AGE:  20 (DOB 21 May 2003)

COACH:  Morgan Ward

STATE: WA

AUSTRALIAN TEAM DEBUT: 2023 World Para Athletics Championships

PERSONAL BEST: 61.74m Javelin (2023)

BIOGRAPHY

Jackson Hamilton’s sporting journey followed a change in his impairment.

He started athletics when he was 6-years-old at University of WA Little Athletics club. Originally Jackson was more of a basketball player, but when his vision deteriorated he wasn’t allowed to play basketball anymore. After this he started focusing mainly on throwing events. “I always enjoyed the intrinsic feel of the throwing technique required for discus and javelin,” said Jackson. “My older brother also used to do Javelin so naturally I wanted too as-well.”

Ex-Paralympian Brad Scott was his first coach and had a large impact on his career. “He inspired me and helped facilitate my athletics journey.”

In his teens Jackson linked up with WAIS coach Morgan Ward. “It’s been a solid 4+ years of training to get me in the position I am today. We focused on building a solid base of strength, technique and athleticism.”

Through his teenage years Jackson broke Australian Para records in the long jump, shot, discus and javelin. His best event was discus, where he won medals in able-bodied Australian championships. But with the news only javelin in his F13 classification was on the Paris Paralympics program, he needed to shift his focus to the javelin. Under coach Morgan Ward he has made terrific progress over the last couple of years, going from a mid-50m thrower last season to 60+ in the summer of 2023.

In June, Jackson 20, was selected for his Australian team debut at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships. He travels to Paris ranked just outside the medals. The F12 classified visually impaired athlete will compete in the F13 event.

“I’m extremely excited to have made my first Australian team. It’s been a goal of mine since I was young and first started this sport. I’ve worked extremely hard over the last few years to get to this spot and am very grateful and excited for this opportunity.”

Impairment: Acquired at birth. His condition is genetic and was diagnosed at age 7, and his condition degenerated making him legally blind at around age 10-11…Memorable sporting achievement: Throwing over 60m last summer after being injury the year before…Hero: Brad Scott (ex-Paralympian) his first coach. He inspired him and helped facilitate his athletics journey…Most influential person in career: coach Morgan Ward, “he has been training me since 2017, and has helped developed me into the athlete I am today. He has done so much for me, and not only has he made me physical improve, but I’ve also learnt so much from him. He explains concepts really well and overall has helped facilitate my growth as an athlete and person”…Advice to your young self: “I would advise myself to think long term and don’t get hung up on small losses. This sport comes with ups and downs, and bad comps, injuries and adversity will present itself. It’s important to learn from these and use them to fuel yourself to grow as an athlete or person”…Hobbies: fishing, bush walks, meditation, cooking and swimming…Sporting ambition: “I want to have a long and successful career as possible. I hope to be a paralympic and world champs medallist one day and break the F13 Javelin world record”…Education: graduated high school in 2020. Currrently in 3rd year of Exercise and Sport Science at Notre Dame University and just started physiotherapy at Notre Dame University…Biggest challenge: “Recovering from two retinal detachment surgery’s. This was extremely tough as not only was it extremely painful, but I couldn’t leave my room for over a month, and when I finally could, my vision was extremely distorted which made me feel sick. It also happened during high school, so I was worried I was missing out on stuff and also self conscious about having to wear an eye patch at school”…Famous family: dad (Glenn Hamilton) and uncle (Reid Hamilton) were Olympians in beach volleyball in Athens in 1996 for New Zealand.

@ 29 June 2023 david.tarbotton@athletics.org.au