Mickle Misses World Champs Final
WAIS javelin thrower Kim Mickle missed a spot in the finals at the 2015 Athletics World Championships in Beijing after falling short of the automatic qualifying mark of 63.50m with her three attempts.
The reigning world championship silver medallist recorded a best throw of 59.83m in qualifying, bookended by two fouls, which was not enough to see the 30 year-old progress to the 12 athlete final.
Germany’s Kathrina Molitor was crowned world champion, after she threw a world lead 67.69m for victory. China’s Huihui Lyu threw 66.13m for second place whilst South African Sunette Viljoen earned bronze with a best attempt of 65.79m.
Mickle said that a shoulder injury had limited her campaign but that she had been determined to compete in Beijing.
“I knew instantly in the warm-up that I was pretty screwed. My arm was no good, but I decided that I’d have a go. It would have been a miracle to get a throw out properly. I feel proud of myself for having a go,” Mickle said.
“I’ve been talking myself into it. I had scans before I left and I have torn my rotator cuff and the ligaments in my shoulder. I just hate it when people dwell on things. I didn’t mind people knowing that I have a bad shoulder to an extent but I wanted to get out there and throw. I’ve certainly underplayed it. I was never not going to throw. I’ve tried to block it out. The atmosphere of this is incredible, the depth of javelin is insane. It was just something that I didn’t want to miss.”
WAIS athlete Lyndsay Pekin was a reserve as the Australian women’s 4x400m relay squad ran sixth in their heat, also missing out on a finals berth.
Australia’s time of 3:28.61mins was a season’s best and one of the fastest times ever recorded by an Australian relay team, giving the group a great deal of confidence ahead of next year’s Rio Games, with the country’s spot already secured, by virtue of its top eight finish at the 2015 World Relay Championships in the Bahamas.
Pekin and Australia’s best 400m runners will aim for selection in the relay squad across the domestic season and at the 2016 Australian Athletics Championships which will also serve as an Olympic selection trial.