Athletics Australia – News – HUNTER: Watt set to light up Glendale

The Hunter Sports Centre at Glendale is getting ready to host one of the most high profile athletes ever to set foot on it’s track.

Olympic & World Championships silver medallist Mitchell Watt (Qld) has confirmed his intentions to compete at the Hunter Track Classic, hosted by Athletics New South Wales, for the first time.

While Watt’s career at the top level of international athletics has been relatively short (competing in his first major championships in 2009), the 24-year-old has a long & impressive list of achievements already.

Watt became the youngest ever Australian to medal in an event at an IAAF World Championships, after winning bronze in Berlin (GER) in 2009. He then went on to win a medal of the same colour in 2010 at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Doha (QAT).

In 2011, Watt was virtually untouchable in sand-pits around the world. In what was a busy year, the ‘boy from Bendigo’ (who now lives, studies & trains in Brisbane where he is coached by renown National Jumps Coach, Gary Bourne), claimed the Australian National long jump title, set the current Australian & Oceania long-jump record (8.54m), won silver at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu (KOR), and took out the prestigious Diamond League Trophy.

Following injuries, Watt was forced to miss the 2012 domestic season but recovered in time to make the London Olympics where his class shone through winning the silver medal.

Watt said: “In 2012 I didn’t have a perfect year with my body. Even at the National Trials in March I was still behind. This was part of the frustration after the competition, knowing I could have done better.”
“Its not until you experience the Olympic Games that you realise it is the pinnacle of sport. The whole thing was amazing.”

To cap off what has been an amazing few years, Watt recently had the honour of being named ‘Australian Male Athlete of the Year' by Athletics Australia.

Watt, commenting on his upcoming season, said: “Things have got off to a lot better start. The first three months of training have been great. I’m back to where I was at the start of the 2011 season.”

Watt is keen to make up for missing last year’s domestic season and plans to jump at  Hunter Track Classic (2nd Feb), Adelaide Track Classic (16th Feb), Sydney Track Classic (9th March) Brisbane Track Classic (23rd March), indicating he also hopes to run the 100m at a couple of these events.

Watt comes to the Hunter Track Classic looking to use the popular meet as a platform from which to launch his campaign to win the Gold medal at the World Championships, to be held later this year in Moscow (10-18 August).

Watt said: “I guess you could say I have unfinished business at the world champs. I know what kind of shape I need to be in. I know I can do it. Daegu was disappointing, I knew the gold medal was well within my grasp.”

Should he be successful in Moscow, Watt would claim the rare feat of winning a medal of every colour at consecutive World Championships.

Watt continued: “I’m looking forward to taking part. Over the past few years the Hunter Track Classic has been gaining momentum. I streamed it on my computer last year & enjoyed watching the action.”

“I’ve never visited the Newcastle area before. I’m good friends with Benn Harradine & he has been talking up the place as well as the meet itself. It sounds like a great location to visit so I can’t wait.”

In addition to the long-jump shoot out, an interesting exhibition event is also on the cards. The Standing Long Jump, which was last included as an official Olympic Track and Field event over 100 years ago (1912), is making its comeback in 2013 at the Hunter Track Classic.

The Hunter Track Classic is on Saturday 2nd February, 2013.

Tickets available via www.huntertrackclassic.com.au ($12 Adults, $7 Children).

Stay tuned to all the action from the Hunter Track Classic by following @huntrackclassic on Twitter.

With thanks to Scott Westcott, the Hunter Track Classic and Athletics New South Wales

 

 Athletics Australia – News