Try, try and try again in javelin
FOURTH time lucky and feeling “(expletive) awesome”, Aussie Kathryn Mitchell has smashed the Commonwealth Games javelin throw record on her way to a much-deserved gold medal.
The 35-year-old put the competition to bed with her first throw of 68.92m which was not just an Australian record but also surpassed the Games record which had been owned by fellow Aussie Kim Mickle.
Mitchell’s extraordinary throw means only six women have sent the javelin further in history. She was in tears before her last throw as the enormity of her achievement sunk in.
“That was pretty (expletive) awesome,” Mitchell said. “What can I say? You hope for this type of result.
“I have worked a lot this season not to focus too much on results and more on the process. It has worked and it’s a little bit unbelievable.”
Her Australian teammate Kelsey-Lee Roberts joined her on the dais with her final throw of the competition, 63.89m, earning her the silver medal – which improved on her bronze medal effort from Glasgow four years ago.
It’s been a stunning couple of months for Mitchell who won her first national title for 10 years in February and then broke the Australian record with a throw of 68.57m at the Victorian championships on March 3.
The Victorian, who is competing in a record-equalling fourth Games, has finished sixth, fifth and fourth since debuting in Melbourne 2006.
Her first throw would have won gold at the Rio Olympics which was won in 66.18m. Mitchell finished sixth in the final with a best of 64.36m.
Mitchell has been working with a sports psychologist in recent times as she searched for answers about the lack of medals in her CV. Her previous best result is fifth at the 2015 world championships.
“The paradox of sport is that the less that you focus on the results, the better the results come,” Mitchell said.
“I put all distances out of my mind, I knew I could throw the Australia record eventually but I just said to myself, ‘Just allow it to happen and it will come’.
“Then when I thew it everyone started to talk about 70 metres. That will come but I just have to say relaxed.”