AXE MAN CUTS DOWN RIVALS
Athlete shines on world stage
TIMBERSPORTS: Mitch Argent is no stranger to overseas travel – he’s been to Europe several times.
The reason why he has been overseas so many times still stuns him though.
The 24-year-old Blackbutt man who first competed in timbersports at small country shows now represents Australia on the world stage.
“It’s pretty amazing to think I’ve been able to travel around the world doing this,” Argent said.
“Sometimes it’s tough when I’ve worked all day and then have to fit in a few hours of training. But the rewards can be pretty good – being able to represent my country is special.”
Most recently Argent placed third at the Stihl Timbersports Champions Trophy in Marsielle, France.
The youngest of 12 competitors in the world final, Argent was seeded fourth after the time trial making his bronze all the more remarkable.
“I drew a bad log but that’s
Langreiter
just the luck of draw sometimes,” Argent said.
“I was seeded fourth which put me in the tougher part of the draw. But you have to face them all at some stage if you want to win it.”
Argent showed exactly what he is capable of in the quarterfinal finishing in 58.12 - just .30 seconds off the world record.
He then backed up that effort with a similar performance in the semi-final.
“I reckon I was probably less than half a swing off getting him (Canadian Stirling Hart),” Argent said.
“It’s a sport of really fine margins.
“I made a few very minor mistakes and it cost me. I’m not happy with the mistakes but it happens – you move on.”
Argent went on to beat Martin Komerak from the Czech Republic in the third place play-off.
“I’m happy with third. I would’ve loved first place but it just wasn’t my day,” he said.
“This is the first time I represented Australia as an individual – it (the third place finish) has just made me hungrier to go again.”