Mickle Wins Seventh National Championship

WAIS javelin thrower Kim Mickle won a seventh national title at last week’s Australian Athletics Championships in Melbourne.

The Commonwealth Games silver medallist and 2011 world championship finalist threw 61.70m to finish clear of Victoria’s Kathryn Mitchell (59.23m) and Japan’s Risa Miyashita (54.16m).

Mickle – who had not thrown competitively since breaking a rib at last year’s world championships in Daegu – showed she had lost none of her big meet ability, posting an Olympic A-qualifier that will ensure her pre-nomination for a sixth place finish in Korea last year will be formally ratified by the AOC when Athletics Australia finalises its team for London in June.

There was a national championship win for WAIS hurdler Shannon McCann who posted a time of 13.48secs to win the women’s 100m hurdles. Japan’s Yuka Nomura ran second in 13.61secs, whilst McCann’s fellow WAIS scholarship holder Brianna Beahan was third, but earned a silver medal as second Australian in a time of 13.78secs.

WAIS 400m Olympic relay hopeful Ben Offereins finished equal second in the men’s 400m event in Melbourne clocking 46.30secs alongside Queensland’s Alex Beck with the national title going to NSWIS youngster Steve Solomon (45.54secs).