Last Tuesday (8^th of July) I competed in my very first World Super Grand Prix meet in Switzerland. These competitions are only open to the top ranked athletes in the world and I was lucky enough to get a spot on the start list (well, being ranked 7^th helped!). I was up against the current World Record holder and the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd ranked throwers for 2009 along with four other girls who have thrown over 60m this year. The toughest comp of my life!!!!!

I do have to say.... The meet promoters sure do know how to look after athletes!!! The hotel was surrounded by a mountain with a big open river and positioned right in the middle of the city but the most amazing thing was the FOOD! Ohh my god, the food..... I walked in to the dining area the first night and the display of food out was mind blowing! I couldn't think of anything else that they could have put out for us to eat. I went for my first plate and just had to go for a second. I then wondered why some people were heading over to the back of the dining area... Curiosity took control, so I headed over and found out that the food that I ate (and thought was the best food in the world) was only the salad bar!!!!! I totally found the second buffet with the “real” food. I couldn't believe it-HEAVEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I totally had a third plate :)

The morning of the comp and the weather wasn't great. The wind was strong and there was a little hint that it could possibly rain... That hint turned into a massive thunder storm by the time my event was starting. My warm-up was hampered by me running for cover as a lightning strike hits close by (remembering that I have a big metal conductor of a javelin in my hand). After warm-up, I casually walked out to the stadium with my fellow competitors, you know..... The world record holder etc J I suddenly remembered how amazing this all was and how much effort myself and coach has put in to make this happen. The rain then didn't bother me, I was just stoked to be there!!!

My first round wasn't a great throw 55m but nobody threw well, the wet weather really makes it hard to throw a rather slippery object! It was good to get one on the board though. My second and third throw were better... 58m and 59m and for me to throw that in damp conditions was rather pleasing. At this time I was in fourth place but my energy levels weren't great. Like I said in my last post, I had a major cold that put me out for four days of training right after my comp in Pihtipudas. This only gave me three days to get some training in, fly to from Finland to Switzerland and prepare for the biggest comp of my life. That's one hard task!!!

Like I did in Pihtipudas, I knew I had potentially one good throw left in me. It was my fourth throw, I took a few seconds at the top of the run-way to get ‘psyched up' and then started my run in. I hit the plant and still couldn't get my body to hold the positions that I needed to but with grit and a rather bad facial expression I got a throw over the 60m mark again!!! Stoked :) This was my seventh competition in a row over that magical mark! I had a rather big sigh of relief. I ended up with fifth place and 60.27m. First place was 65m, second was 64m, third was 63m, fourth was 60.60m then me. Considering some of these girls who beat me are 70m+ throwers, it shows how the conditions affected everyone!

I'm now in Cologne in Germany for a week for some training before I head back to Switzerland to compete next Wednesday in another big comp. I'm extremely lucky to have fellow WAIS athletes in Steve Hooker and Paul Burgess here also to tuck me under their wing and take me to training (My coach Grant Ward is at the World Uni Games). I'm still loving every moment over here and I can't wait to have my next comp and get some more 60m= throws in!