Australia's Little sets world championship record

It has been a great week for Australian female Javelin throwers.

Hot on the heels of Kim Mickle’s and Kathryn Mitchell’s efforts in the Diamond League meeting in Paris was Mackenzie Little’s championships record throw of 61.47 metres to take gold in the World Youth Championships in Donetsk, Ukraine yesterday.

The 16 year old from Cambeltown south west of Sydney, swapped the lead several times with Cuba’s Yulenmis Aguilar in the final, with both athletes swapping ownership of the championship record and the lead in a thrilling tussle for gold.

Little’s first throw of 57.29m, was enough to hold the lead for four rounds until round five when Aguilar snatched it with a 59.94m lifetime best.

Gritting her teeth, Little threw the 500 gram spear an astonishing 61.47m with her next effort, smashing her pre-event personal best by almost five metres.

Little’s victory is Australia’s first in this event at the World Youth Championships since Kim Mickle won in Debrecen in 2001, and follows Monique Cilione’s bronze medal in Lille in 2010.

Latvia’s Anete Konica threw a best of 54.26m in round one, which was enough for her to hold on for the bronze medal.

The gold by Little is the first and only so far for Australia at the championships.The girls are showing the boys a clean pair of spikes as the only other medal won so far was Eleanor Patterson’s sliver in the high jump with a leap of 1.86 metres. Nina Kennedy missed out though coming fourth in the pole vault after clearing 4.31 metres.

The 8th World Youth Championships conclude on Sunday, 14 July.