Healthy West looking to build toward Tokyo

AFTER an injury-ravaged season, Townsville heptathlete Tori West is just searching for confidence ahead of a 2020 Tokyo Olympics bid.

She is hoping to find that confidence on home soil at the Athletics North Queensland Championships this weekend.

The 23-year-old was on target for gold during the Oceania Championships in Townsville earlier this season, before injury ruled her out of half of her events.

She carried that injury through the World University Games in Italy in July, where she finished fifth in the open heptathlon.

But heading into her season grand final, West said she felt better than ever.

“I feel really good, I have had six weeks training uninterrupted. I have a lot of confidence heading into this meeting. But it is also about building confidence heading into next season because it has been such an injury-disrupted year,” she said.

“For me it is just about bringing all the events together. Heptathlon involves seven events, the last two I have done, I have done well in a few of the events but not all seven. That had a bit to do with injury.

“I know for a fact if I can pull all seven events together, I can get a good score.”

West is not the only athlete who will be wrapping up a big season at the Championships, with more than 500 athletes competing at Townsville Sports Reserve over the weekend.

“It wraps up a big year of athletics for Townsville in particular,” West said. “We had the Oceania Athletics Championships here earlier in June, we have just capped off our school season. This for a lot of North Queensland athletes it is the pinnacle, and just a great way to finish off.”

But for some athletes it is just the beginning of a new season, with qualification for 2020 National Championships on the line. The meet is also an Olympics qualification event, with all-important points going on the line.

The championships will be highlighted by time-honoured feature events the Hector Hogan 100 Yards Sprint (male) and the Campbell Miles Sprint.

Young local hopeful Isabella Starr will be aiming up against some of the best sprinters across North Queensland in the Campbell Miles Sprint but it has not daunted the 15year-old.

After missing out on medals at the National Junior Championships earlier this year, the North Star Athletics Club member is hungry to get back into competition after an extended lay-off.

“I am just excited to get back on the track,” she said.

“This is the beginning of the next (stage for me) because I have the school state championships in Cairns later this year, and then hopefully nationals next year.”