Junior champ aims higher
ATHLETICS: Mason Hughes is presenting himself with a hard act to follow, but the champion junior thrower has already had a taste of what he can expect as he continues his ladder climb.
The 15-year-old Harristown High student continued on his winning way at this year’s Australian Junior Athletics Championships in Sydney where he added to his growing list of discus and shot put gold medal victories.
Hughes took out the under-17 discus event before throwing a personal best to also claim an Australian victory in the under-17 shot put behind the Kiwi overall winner.
With two national titles in his age group safely in his pocket, Hughes then stepped up to the under-20 division for a taste of competition against throwers up to five years older than himself – with pleasing results.
Hughes finished sixth behind winner Conor McLoughlin from Toowoomba in discus
‘‘ I LEARNED A LOT FROM COMPETING AT THAT LEVEL. MASON HUGHES
and ninth in the under-20 shot field, which included two Kiwis, leaving him the seventhplaced Australian.
“It finished up a really good championships for me and the experience of throwing in the under-20s proved to be a bonus,” the five-time Australian title-holder said.
“I finished sixth in the discus with a throw of 47.86m using a 1.75kg disc and I became the youngest person in Australia to win through to the under-20 final.
“So all-in-all it was a pretty outstanding meeting for me given what happened.
“I learned a lot from competing at that level and it’s all an education for when I go into my first under-20 competition in 2020.”
Hughes is now winding down for his throwing off-season but will soon be back to hard work with coach, and triple shot put Olympian, Justin Anlezark in preparation for the July Down Under meet at the Gold Coast.
“It’s great having someone like Justin who has been there and done it to learn from,” Hughes said.
“Justin wants me to be the best there is and I want to be the best I can be.”