Ballarat's Kathryn Mitchell aims for greater heights

By Melanie Whelan
Updated November 2 2012 - 2:15pm, first published July 6 2010 - 2:41pm
ON TRACK: Eureka Athletic Club's Kathryn Mitchell has settled in Germany to prepare for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in October.
ON TRACK: Eureka Athletic Club's Kathryn Mitchell has settled in Germany to prepare for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in October.

EUREKA athlete Kathryn Mitchell is gradually settling into her new European base to ensure she is ready for the Commonwealth Games.The 27-year-old javelin thrower made her games debut in Melbourne in 2006 but has reinvented herself this year under East German power thrower Uwe Hohn - the only man to launch the javelin more than 100m.In March, Mitchell threw a Victorian record and personal best of 59.68 metres for an A-qualifying time and was added to the Australia squad soon after."I have still a lot to achieve in the sport of track and field - I have had success and I have had missed opportunities," Mitchell said."Like everything worth chasing though, the challenge is to always strive and always overcome yourself to find more on the other side."Sport has given me so much to be thankful for: lessons invaluable and opportunities that most people only dream of."I know that to give nothing but my very best is to waste the gift."Hailing from Casterton, Mitchell said an active country childhood sparked her love of sport.Mitchell joined Eureka Athletics Club in 1997, travelling to Ballarat for training, but did not focus on the javelin until three years later, aged 17.Her strong sprint and horizontal jump work made her a prime javelin candidate.Ballarat athletics coach Lindsay Burgoyne encouraged Mitchell to move to Ballarat for serious training in the discipline.Mitchell completed year 12 at Ballarat High School and said she feels strong ties to the town that launched her career.In competition, Mitchell will always list Eureka as her home club.

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