So far thirteen VIS athletes have been named in the Australian Track & Field team for the Commonwealth Games, including our most recent national record holder, javelin thrower Kathryn Mitchell.
Having broken the Australian record last weekend with a throw of 67.58m, Mitchell went into the 2018 Australian Athletics Championships & Commonwealth Games Trials on the Gold Coast as favourite.
Mitchell did not disappoint throwing a winning distance of 65.51m. These will be her fourth Commonwealth Games.
The veteran thrower has been working with VIS Sports Psychologist Mark Spargo and says “I’ve been putting processes in place to achieve this (result).”
Joining Mitchell will be dual Commonwealth Games representatives Damien Birkenhead (Shot Put), Zoe Buckman (1500m) and Madeline Hills (5km).
Luke Mathews is also set to run for Australia in April winning his third consecutive 800m national title is stunning style on Saturday night.
Mathews won in a time of 1minute 45.90 seconds with a 30 metre break on the rest of the field.
Interestingly VIS scholarship holder Joseph Deng eclipsed that time in the B Final to give himself a surprise shot at Australian selection as well as a World Lead.
Dual Olympian Ryan Gregson was also impressive again coming from seventh position with 200m to go to win his third national title in the 1500 metres.
Gregson ran down his training partner Jordan Williamsz to claim victory in 3minutes 39.66 seconds.
Williamsz, another VIS athlete, also booked his ticket to Gold Coast with a time of 3minutes 39.85 seconds.
Linden Hall was equally impressive in the women’s 1500m as she bravely fought off repeated challenges from Buckman to claim the national crown and a place in the Australian team.
Australia will welcome Commonwealth Games debutants Brooke Stratton (Long Jump), Chris Mitrevski (Long Jump) and Georgia Griffith (800m).
It’s particularly rewarding for Stratton, another VIS Australian record holder, who missed the Glasgow Games with a stress fracture.
Australian Team Chef de Mission Steve Moneghetti welcomed the athletes on to the Australian Team.
“We have already welcomed the first 14 athletes on to the Australian Commonwealth Games Team, but it is incredibly exciting to welcome a further 51 athletes that have achieved an automatic nomination at Australian Championships.
“The Games are now only 44 days away and the team is getting stronger and stronger,” Moneghetti said.
The apparently ageless marathon runner Lisa Weightman is also in the team but fellow VIS athletes Morgan Mitchell and Joel Baden must wait to get the nod from selectors.
Track & Field will begin on 8 April at Gold Coast 2018.
Photo Credit: The Courier
