Athletics Australia – News – BROOKE STRATTON

When Australian Flame step off the plane in Beijing (CHN) for the IAAF Athletics World Championships, very few will take the opportunity for granted. For long jumper Brooke Stratton (Vic), however, the very goal of reaching Beijing will be cherished more than most.

After the despair and heartbreak of a back injury on the eve of her Commonwealth Games dream, the 21-year-old Victorian is as eager as anyone to compete for her country on the world stage, and is determined not to let the significance of this opportunity pass her by.

Determination it seems, she has aplenty. Having suffered through the turmoil of a serious stress fracture in her back, Stratton was understandably shattered by the extended period of time she was forced to stay away from jumping.

“Having that time off the track and away from training, it showed to me that jumping really is a big part of my life, when I wasn't able to do it, it was heartbreaking,” Stratton said.

“I was pretty down about it for a while. It felt like I had been given this massive opportunity and something that I had been looking forward to for so long, had just been taken away from me in an instant. That’s why I was determined to not take any opportunities for granted. This season I hopped on the runway with the mindset that every jump could be my last.”

Though undoubtedly it was a tough time for her, Stratton says the support she received during this time was invaluable to her getting back to full fitness, and the key to regaining her motivation.

“I had some great support from my family and friends, which definitely helped me get through it. It really gave the determination to get myself right again, and do that right things so I could get back out there,” Stratton added.

This setback certainly wasn't the first challenge Stratton has faced either. Her battle with coeliac disease, where the digestive system is hypersensitive to gluten foods, took two years to properly diagnose and greatly affected her performances during that time. With greater vigilance to what foods she now consumes, Stratton is well on her way to performing strong again.

“As soon as I made some adjustments and changed my diet, it made a massive difference to my general levels of health and how I could train and get through sessions, and most importantly, I started performing well again,” she said.

Stratton will be in career-best form when she makes the trip over to Beijing, in what will be her first major senior international competition.

“I’m really looking forward to heading overseas and I’m sure it’s going to be a great experience to come up against all of the best long jumpers in the world."

Having competed at five of the 2015 Australian Athletic Tour meets across the country, Stratton jumped her PB this year at the Adelaide Track Classic, recording an astounding 6.73m (w: 0.0), a jump far enough to land her to sixth place on the all-time Australian records list for the long jump.

“I didn't expect to come off my injury and be in the great shape that I was this summer, I didn't have the ideal preparation leading into the season, but I think it was because I was just so determined to come back and jump far,” Stratton said.

Great performances aside, Stratton is known for being one of the most prolific athletes on the circuit, having competed relentlessly around the country and internationally since her junior days. She concedes, however, that she will still feel nervous when it comes to lining up to jump in Beijing.

“Honestly, the thought of it is a bit nerve-wracking. Last year I should have got the Commonwealth Games under my belt and that really would've been a perfect platform to gain experience, bit it didn’t eventuate.” Stratton admitted.

“I used to get quite nervous for juniors and youths but the World Championships is obviously a bit of a step up.”

As the challenges she has faced so far in her young career begin to fade away in the rear mirror, Stratton vows to treat every competition with the reverence it deserves.

 “The injury definitely gave me a different outlook toward training and competition, and how much I cherish this. I guess at the end of the day, those challenges have made me a better athlete and a stronger person and I definitely think having those challenges made me not take my spot for granted,” Stratton

Whatever the outcome in Beijing, rest assured that Stratton will be there, soaking up the atmosphere of the World Championships and giving it her very, very best.