Wheeler Proves Career-Best Form with Personal Best
WAIS athlete Kylie Wheeler has finished her Olympic campaign placing 11th in the heptathlon and taking away three personal bests and two seasons’ best performances.
Wheeler had an impressive start in the 100m hurdles, clocking a season’s best of 13.68 seconds, just 0.05 off her personal best.
She continued to demonstrate her top form in the high jump, setting a new personal record of 1.89m, placing second on the count back.
Wheeler’s success in the first two rounds held her in fourth place on the scoreboard with five events remaining.
Day one of the heptathlon continued with the shot put, where Wheeler performed well to produce a 13.06m throw. The 200m saw her achieve yet another season’s best, with a time of 24.28 seconds and complete the first day of competition in ninth place.
Day two commenced with Wheeler’s strongest event, the long jump. Unfortunately an injury scare forced her to withdraw early from the competition and settle for her initial jump of 6.11m. However, she returned to the field to post a personal best in the javelin, throwing 43.81m and moving into 10th place overall before the final event. Speaking to the Sunday Times, WAIS track coach Lyn Foreman said it was a great effort by Wheeler.
“To achieve a personal best after the earlier (injury scare) shows she really gave it everything,” Foreman said.
WAIS field coach Grant Ward also gave credit to Wheeler’s efforts.
“She’s done a great job and she’s in good shape. The injury slowed her down a bit but that’s the nature of the game. You have to get on and do what you have to do,” Ward told The Sunday Times.
Wheeler concluded the seven discipline event on a high note, with a season’s best time of 2.11.49 in the 800m. Gaining 943 points from the final event, Wheeler finished in 11th place with a personal best overall score of 6369 points.