Isis Holt and Lisa Weightman were last week, confirmed by Commonwealth Games Australia as part of the initial 14 members of the 111 Australian Athletics team to compete at Gold Coast 2018.
A dual World Champion at 16-years-old, Isis Holt is likely to be the team’s youngest athlete competing on the Gold Coast. In her debut Commonwealth Games, Holt will contest the T35 100m.
“I’m very excited to be on my first Commonwealth Games team. I’ve been fortunate enough to win a couple of world titles but representing Australia at a Commonwealth Games will be very special,” said Holt.
Commonwealth Games 2010 bronze medallist, Lisa Weightman will represent Australia in the marathon which is to be held on the final day of the Games, 15 April.
Weightman will line up in her second Commonwealth Games team at 39-years-old. In preparation for Gold Coast 2018, Weightman has been managing the life of a mother, and professional life as a consultant at IBM. She finds equilibrium to fit in the rigorous requirements the Marathon demands which sees her on the path to personal best shape.
“I’m on my way to the same physical shape I was in when I ran 2:25:15 in London earlier this year. Everything went right in London. If everything goes right again on the Gold Coast, it will be an exciting race,” Weightman said.
In other track and field news, Kathryn Mitchell has opened her season in emphatic style, heaving the javelin to her sixth Commonwealth Games A Qualifier of 66.73m at the Athletics Victoria throwers meet in Ringwood.
Off a short approach, Mitchell’s impressive throw was a mere 10cm shy of Kim Mickle’s Australian record of 66.83cm, which is the furthest throw in the world this year. Mitchell praised Victorian Institute of Sport Psychologist, Mark Spargo for his assistance off the runway.
“It was thrown off a short run up which we do for easier control of my technique,” said Mitchell.
“I took a good rest after London as I was a little burned out, she explained. “I’ve been trying some different processes under the VIS Sports Psychologist, Mark Spargo.”
Rio Olympian Linden Hall clocked a 5000m Commonwealth Games A qualifying time of 15:18.77 to win the Hunter Track Classic in Newcastle on Saturday.
Also competing in Newcastle, Damien Birkinhead and Morgan Mitchell recorded victories in the shot put and 400m respectively, whilst Chris Mitrevski soared 7.91m to win the long jump at the Summer Down Under meet in Canberra.
