Luke Cann Throws Comm Games A-Qualifier

Western Australian based javelin thrower Luke Cann has recorded a new personal best and claimed an A-Qualifier for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in the process.

The Floreat resident who turns 23 next month, launched a new personal marker of 81.07m at a competition meet in Townsville to register a qualifying standard that puts him firmly in selector’s sights for next year’s Games.

Originally from Victoria, Cann made his senior representative debut as a member of the Australian Flame team that competed at the Glasgow Games in 2014 whilst he was still in his teens. He relocated to Perth to train under coach Grant Ward at WAIS in late 2015.

After throwing his personal best, Cann admitted that the benchmark had slipped his attention at first as he is still actively chasing a World Championships A-Qualifying standard of 83m for August’s world titles in London.

But after a domestic season that has been hampered by injuries and compromised training preparation, Cann said it was welcome reward for perseverance.

“To be honest it was a great feeling, especially just letting it go and knowing that I hit it sweetly,” he said. “Especially after the season I have had so far this year.”

“Obviously being so close to the World Championship qualifier, I totally forgot that it was a Commonwealth Games A-Qual – which both Grant and I forgot about until about half an hour after the comp,” he revealed.

“But once we both realised, it was a good feeling to get that out of the way this early,” he said.

Despite the injury niggles, Cann has been making steady progress under the guidance of Ward, the same coach who helped Kim Mickle to world championship silver and Commonwealth Games gold.

With the final selector’s meeting for the Australian Flame team to tackle the World Championships on July 24, Cann said it was a case of sticking to hard work and chasing that elusive distance.

“We’ll be pushing towards the world champs qualifier and we have another comp on Friday night, up here in Townsville,” he said from his temporary training base in Queensland.

“Then we’ll be back in Perth for a few more solid weeks of work, before heading to the down under champs on the Gold Coast to have a couple of cracks at edging towards the qual,” Cann said.

The IAAF World Championships will be held at the London Olympic Stadium from August 4-13.