Robinson reunited with original supporters

THE original support crew, and biggest fans, behind Hokitika’s Commonwealth Games javelin medallist Holly Robinson reunited on the 23yearold’s former Cass Sq training ground earlier this week to reflect on her stellar Gold Coast performance.

Robinson was taken under the wing of former Greymouth Athletics Club coach Danny Spark at 9 years old and he prepared her for her first competitive event a year later, the CCS Games.

Robinson’s grandmother Shirley Crowley and her brother Colin Spark both had pivotal roles early on, in getting her to training.

Robinson recalled spending hours learning the basics which eventually led to the javelin, her now chosen dis cipline, and in which she threw a world record at the Gold Coast Games.

The medal was proudly around her neck this week and Danny Spark was also given a keepsake of the Games milestone — the athlete’s commemoration medal.

Mr Spark said he was ‘‘tremendously proud’’ of how far Robinson had gone, considering she was born with a congenital limb reduction of her left arm.

‘‘She’s a very capable young woman. [She’s] top dog.’’

Mr Spark’s teaching has now also come full circle and Robinson now mentors young athletes in Dunedin, while working parttime as a sports activator in primary schools.

Her goal is to keep striving for gold, firstly at world championships next year, and then at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

PICTURE: HOKITIKA GUARDIAN Family fans . . . Hokitika’s Commonwealth Games silver medallist Holly Robinson on Cass Sq earlier this week, with her original support crew — grandmother and managermentor Shirley Crowley, first coach Danny Spark (centre) and Colin Spark.