Robinson after medal in open company

Holly Robinson. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
Holly Robinson. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
It might not be on the world stage, but a medal tomorrow would be significant for Holly Robinson.

The Otago javelin thrower has Paralympic, world championship and Commonwealth Games medals in her collection.

She holds the New Zealand F46 para-javelin record of 43.64m and for good measure also holds the shot put one - which she extended on Wednesday night.

However, she will not compete in the para-javelin at the national track and field championships, starting today in Christchurch.

Instead, she will only compete in the senior women's - able-bodied - javelin, limiting the load on a persistent achilles niggle.

She had finished fourth in the senior women's event last year.

While medals are not her focus, she knew they could come as a result of a quality performance.

If she throws a similar distance to her national record, which she set two weeks ago in Dubai, she could be in with a shot.

"It's always something I've wanted to medal in, the senior women's [javelin], just to show people that [para-athletes] can be there and we can do it," she said.

"I do have some pretty clear targets of what I want to do as an athlete and what I want to achieve in my career.

"So distances are one of my big things, but definitely getting a medal would be pretty awesome in a senior women's event."

Her primary goals for the weekend were to throw well, both in terms of distance and technique.

She felt she was in good shape, having had the winter at home to train and build strength.

After this weekend she will head to Australia for competitions in Brisbane and Sydney.

Her next major competition is in November, when she will return to Dubai for the world para athletics championships.

From there it is a short turnaround to next August's Tokyo Paralympics.

She was looking forward to both and the chance to compete against her British rival Hollie Arnold.

That tended to bring out the best in both of them - Robinson said they had both thrown personal bests every time they competed against each other.

"I don't think it's that I want to knock her over, it's that I want that top spot.

"I want to be the one everyone's chasing and be one of the drivers in our sport to keep pushing further in our distances so more people have something to chase.

"I don't think it's about beating her, she's just the person I have to beat at the moment.

"For me it's that top spot, I want to be there, I want to wear the silver fern and be standing on top of the podium as the champion.

"That's always something I've dreamed of and something that's eluded me - but I know I have the capability of getting there."

 

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