Robinson determined to throw personal best
ANOTHER chance at a major gold medal looms for Holly Robinson — although she is not getting caught up in that.
At just 23yearsold, the F46 parajavelin thrower heads to the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast having achieved virtually everything else in her event.
That includes a Paralympics silver medal, as well as three world championship medals — two silver and one bronze.
While she would love to complete the set with a gold, her focus remains firmly on her performance.
Having been edged by worldrecord throws in her past two major competitions, she knows better than most that she cannot control how far someone else throws.
‘‘I’m just looking to throw a PB. I want to throw very well. I want to throw further than I’ve ever thrown before,’’ the Taieri athlete said.
‘‘That’s my overarching goal and obviously a medal is definitely in the hopes, but what colour that is will depend on the day.’’
It is her first Commonwealth Games and she is both excited and nervous.
Unlike the Olympics and world championships, in these Games selected para events are incorporated into the main programme.
That was ‘‘really cool’’ and she was looking forward to being part of a different team.
She is coming off a strong season and threw just below her personalbest of 42.68m in winning another gold in the parajavelin at the national championships.
She also entered the ablebodied event and her throw of 40.48m had her just under half a metre away from a second medal.
‘‘Within New Zealand we don’t have a huge amount of paraathletes at the elite level.
‘‘So ablebodied competition is where you sort of get that challenge.
‘‘To medal [in an ablebodied competition] at our New Zealand national track and field champs, that’s a major goal for my career.
‘‘But at the end of the day I just like that challenge.
‘‘I like being out there throwing against them and showing people we can compete with them and we can be up there as well.
‘‘I think that’s a really good opportunity for us to show others.’’
She is set to leave for Brisbane on Monday when she will compete in her final competition before the Games.
She will then head to Havelock North where she will go into a precamp until April 3.