SIMMONS’ CAMPAIGN FINALLY ON TRACK
Despite some previous setbacks, Cassidhe Simmons remains supremely confident her injury problems are behind her and she will be able to achieve the fitness level required to get her into the Games heptathlon
CASSIDHE Simmons is relying on the body that has betrayed her so often in the past to help her seal a place in a home Commonwealth Games.
The 22-year-old is battling a lingering case of hamstring tendinopathy, meaning competing has literally been a pain in the backside for the past year.
But with her injuries under control, Simmons returned to full training in October and is aiming for a qualifying score in the heptathlon ahead of the Commonwealth Games trials at the revamped Metricon Stadium in February.
“There’s been a few speed bumps but that’s the nature of the sport,” Simmons said. “Everything is aiming towards February. I’m yet to qualify – I didn’t compete last season because of my injuries.
“But I believe I can definitely qualify and I’m hoping to do that before the trials, if not in February.”
The Griffith University student, who is studying a double degree in business and commerce, had hoped to qualify for the World University Games earlier this year in a bid to post a Games qualifier.
“I wasn’t set on going to worlds (the world championships in London in August), I was more looking at going to World Uni Games because for me, that was more achievable than the world standard,” she said.
“The world standard (is the same as) the Olympic standard and I know I’m not at that level just yet.
“I will be in a couple of years but not right now.
“I was looking to go to World Unis and I was a little disappointed that my body let me down but I’ve got to move on and qualify for the next thing.”
Simmons is not far short of a ‘B’ qualifier in the heptathlon, although her personal best in the event was set three years ago.
“My PB is from three years ago and that was 5459 (points),” she said of the seven-event track and field test that includes the 100m hurdles, long jump, high jump, 200m sprint, 800m, shot put and javelin.
To qualify for the Games, an athlete needs to win the national title on the Gold Coast next February, as well as possess an ‘A’ or ‘B’ qualifying mark.
The second placegetter will be nominated if they have achieved the ‘A’ standard. Any other nominations to the Australian team will come at the dis-
I LITERALLY NEED ONLY MARGINAL IMPROVEMENTS IN EVERY EVENT AND I’LL BE WELL OVER THAT QUALIFIER CASSIDHE SIMMONS
cretion of selectors. With the ‘B’ standard for the heptathlon at 5600 points and the ‘A’ 6000, Simmons is confident of making the team.
“I literally need only marginal improvements in every event and I’ll be well over that qualifier,” she said.
“It’s very achievable.” Simmons, who trains on the Coast with Sharon and Peter Hannan, admitted her injury run had made training and competing frustrating at times. But she was adamant she would push on.
“It’s honestly what I love doing,” she said.
“I don’t know what I’d do with my day if I didn’t have this.
“With that goal in the back of your head, you just keep pushing through every day knowing that you have to do this now to reap the rewards.”
With her university studies finished for the year, Simmons will defer next semester to focus on her Games bid.
“I just want to make sure I can look back and say I gave it my best shot, in-
stead of looking back and saying, I should have recovered better, I should have done this, I should have done that.
“This way I’ve got zero excuses and that’s the way I like it.”
Already, Simmons can imagine competing next April in front of a home crowd.
“The stadium will be packed and it’ll be an amazing atmosphere. I can already picture it and I get quite emotional just thinking about it,” she said.
“I hope ... no, I will be there.”