Mickle Misses Olympic Final

WAIS athlete Kim Mickle has missed out on a spot in the women’s javelin final after failing to finish inside the top 12 in qualifying on her Olympic debut.

Mickle came into the tournament in career best form, but after a first up effort of 59.23m she waned, and was unable to reach the automatic qualifying measure of 62m.

Kathryn Mitchell was the only Australian athlete to squeeze out of the qualification round and into the final. Mitchell scraped through with a throw of 60.11m, but compatriot Mickle threw well below her best and missed the final.

Mickle’s best throw was almost five metres below her personal best from this season and the Commonwealth Games silver medallist admitted she wasn’t sure what went wrong.

“I don’t know what to say I feel like I’m going to wake up from a bad dream…all my worst nightmares,” a devastated Mickle said.

“It’s hugely unfortunate. I actually felt amazing out there.

“It wasn’t the fact I wasn’t ready for it. I’m in the shape of my life. I’ve been so confident. I just believed it was going to happen. I had no doubt I was going to throw big.

“I couldn’t have imagined a worse outcome. I was so pumped and energetic and just rushed my throw I think. Maybe I tried too hard.”