Following disappointment at just missing out on the Commonwealth Games, local hammer thrower Kimberley Reed has bounced back with selection for the World Junior Championships.
We were at the England Athletics Under-20 Championships on 14 June, writes Kimberley’s father Scott Reed. That’s the qualifying event for the World Junior Championships in Oregon later this summer.
The selection procedure stated that the person who won their event, and already possessed the qualifying distance would be automatically selected … . Kimberley had already thrown the required distance of 60m on nine occasions, so 'all' she had to do was win.
She was very anxious and it was a nerve-jangling competition with her throwing a no-throw in the first round, and then 55m in the next. In the third round she threw 58.13m which proved to be the winning distance. Her rival Emma O’Hara, who has a personal best of 58.99m, threw 58.00m in the fourth round, but luckily didn’t improve.
She has also been selected to compete for Team GB at the Mannheim International on 5 July, so she’s going to be busy.
The Mannheim International is one of the highest junior level competitions outside the World or European Junior Championships each year, and forms part of the German selection series for World or European Junior teams.
Given the historical level of performance at this meeting and its importance in preparing athletes for the European Junior Championships, British Athletics has picked only a small number of athletes in form and with the potential to medal at the World Junior Championships. Her selection is therefore a huge vote of confidence.
For more on Kimberley's recent progress, see Issue 231 – published and distributed across Broughton from today or available as a colour pdf here.