Australian discus gold medalist Ashlyn Blackstock breaks club record

RISING Australian discus thrower Ashlyn Blackstock proved a smash hit with Port Stephens junior athletes at a Throws Clinic last Saturday at Nelson Bay’s Dick Burwell Oval.

Twenty-one-year-old Ashlyn – who won gold for Australia in the Women’s Discus at the Oceania Cup in Tonga last November – enjoyed educating a talented crop of home-spun athletes on the finer points of discus and shot put throwing.

The clinic proved a resounding success – just seven days after Port Stephens Athletics Centre hosted a popular Explosive Speed Clinic with former Olympic sprinter Melinda Gainsford-Taylor at the Mallabula Sports Complex.

Blackstock, who aims to compete for Australia at this year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, put promising Port Stephens club throwers Naomi Reungkitchaya, Royal Turner-Bryans, Anthony Ford, Alfred Ferris-Lescoffit, Rhylin Green, Charlie Webb, Brynne Dagwell and Matilda Ferris-Lescoffit – plus Tilligerry and Districts’ Little Athletics prospect Victoria Hill – through their paces and liked what she observed.

It proved a fascinating experience for the Lake Macquarie product who tuned up for the visit by smashing the discus throwing record at her home club, Eastlakes Athletics with a throw of 53.4m earlier that morning.

As a junior, the gifted Blackstock captured numerous Combined High Schools, All Schools State, Little Athletics State, National All Schools and National Junior titles, and broke a surfeit of state records.

She was quick to acknowledge the record-breaking feats of 11-year-old Green and 13-year-old Turner-Bryans, who have set new club discus throwing records in their respective age groups this season.

Versatile Rhylin broke the 11yrs Boys discus (500g) club record earlier this month with a throw of 21.21m while talented Royal set a new mark in the 13yrs Boys discus (750g) last November, with an outstanding throw of 29.53m.

By Chris KARAS