With Improved Consistency Barber Upbeat As Doha Worlds Approaches
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Dananjaya takes fives as Sri Lanka restrict Kiwis at Galle PAGE 15 THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2019 Archer gets England cap as rain washes THE ASHES out first day of second Ashes Test PAGE 15 2ND TEST AT LORD’S (DAY 2) With improved consistency Barber upbeat as Doha Worlds approaches ESCRIBING the few the Gold Coast Common- days following the Rio wealth Games. DOlympics as “pure dev- Since the 2018 campaign astation” Kelsey-Lee Barber Barber has made one or two was in a state of despair. small tweaks, which she be- Badly compromised after lieves has contributed to the sustaining a stress fracture best season in her career so far. of the back earlier in 2016 it “I haven’t undergone any was perhaps no surprise the Dreaming on major technical overhauls,” Australian javelinist could Since London 2017 (World she explains. only muster a best of 55.25m “I’ve simply picked up a to place a lowly 28th out of 31 Championships) I set couple of things in terms of athletes in the qualification. myself the target of a the way some of the top girls “I had by no means the podium place and this like (two-time Olympic and ideal preparation for Rio,” (Doha Worlds 2019) is three-time world champion) explains the articulate and an opportunity to Barbora Spotakova and (the personable Barber. 2018 world leader) Kathryn “I had delivered a child- achieve that. Mitchell were moving. hood dream to qualify (for Kelsey-Lee Barber “My training has shown the Olympics) but until you consistency and my series are in that environment your of throws across all com- realise that the medallists are out of the Australian Institute petitions has been good,” only a very small portion of of Sport in Canberra. she adds. what happens at an Olym- “Mike has helped me re- “I’ve hit a good rhythm pics. Surrounded by many discover my competitive na- and positioning on the run- athletes who did not achieve ture,” she explains. “He has way, and I’ve held through medals caught me off guard.” really promoted the fact that back to back competitions.” However, the positive and while we are chasing numbers Next up the Australian upbeat Barber did not stay and distances, at the end of plans to target the Diamond down for long. By the time the day we are all competitors League Final in Zurich (Aug she returned to Australia the trying to beat the opposition.” 29), before she targets the 1.75m tall thrower set about Australian javelinist Kesley-Lee Barber plans to target the Diamond League Final in Zurich (Aug 29), before setting sights on the IAAF World IAAF World Athletics Cham- the re-building phase for the Athletics Championships in Doha (Sept 27-Oct 6). Doha on the radar pionships in Doha (Septem- next stage of her career and Since her Rio disappoint- ber 27-October 6). put together a plan to avoid of emotions. After claiming mark (since surpassed by Lyu of her first memories of life in hockey and netball and her ment, Barber has enjoyed a A lover of competing in a repeat performance at the back to back PBs in Towns- Huihui of China) of 67.70m - her adopted home was arriv- natural upper-body strength rising level of success. She the heat she has set herself Tokyo 2020 Olympics. ville (65.61m) and Lausanne a personal best by more than ing in a nation caught up in also impressed in the throw- describes her 2017 season some ambitious goals. “I got home and thought (65.63m) she is bursting with two metres. Olympic fever in the count- ing events at school sports – where she finished tenth “Since London (World to myself, this is where I want positivity. “I knew I was capable at down to the Sydney Games. days and athletics carnivals. at the World Champion- Championships) I set myself to be (in future) and what I “I just remember this the start of the year of some- It lit a fire inside the then ships and improved her PB the target of a podium place want to achieve. There are clear confidence at the top thing like 67 metres, so to primary school student. Managing the husband- to 64.53m to finish second in and this is an opportunity to clearly things I need to do a of the runway; it was like throw 67.70m is really ex- “I was first exposed to the athlete-coach relationship the IAAF Diamond League fi- achieve that,” explains Barber, lot better; let’s start now.” nothing else existed,” she ex- citing because it shows the Olympic Games ahead of the Describing cracking 60 me- nal in Zurich – as her “break- who works three afternoons a Some three years on from plains. “I knew what I needed world the work and training Sydney Games and that is the tres as a “huge moment” she through” year on the interna- week as a gym trainer. her Rio heartbreak and Bar- to do, so set myself up for the I’ve put into place.” moment I said I wanted to nonetheless desired change tional stage. “With that 67-metre ber is stood on the end of the big throw and I was able to Born in East London, one day feature at an Olym- and in October 2014 left her Meanwhile, last year she throw behind me I feel it (a runway for her sixth round execute.” South Africa, at the age of pics,” she recalls. then coach Aaron Holt to join claimed a silver medal in medal) is a realistic goal, it is throw in Luzern in July expe- Moments later the spear nine Barber relocated with In her younger days she her current coach and now front of her home fans amid just a case of being able to do riencing a very different set flew out to a world-leading her family to Australia. One tried swimming, tennis, husband, Mike Barber, based an “electric” atmosphere at that on the day.” (IAAF) Eliud Kipchoge likens sub-two hour marathon attempt to moon landing REUTERS LONDON KENYAN world record holder Caster Semenya, who is fighting an IAAF regulation that would require her Eliud Kipchoge says running a to take testosterone-lowering medication to defend her 800-metre title marathon in under two hours at the Doha World Championships in September, speaks at a women’s would be comparable in the an- conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Wednesday. (REUTERS) nals of human achievement to standing on the moon or scal- ing Everest for the first time. Caster Semenya unfazed The 2016 Olympic mara- thon gold medallist, speaking to reporters from his home after middle distance ban training camp in Kaptagat on AFP confident Semenya said the Wednesday, was sure he too JOHANNESBURG obsession with getting rid of could enter uncharted terri- her was driven by the fact that tory in Vienna on Oct. 12. SOUTH Africa’s two-time she is undisputedly the best in “It’s like stepping on the It’s like stepping on Olympic 800m champion the world. “I’m targeted be- moon, going up the tallest the moon, going up the Caster Semenya on Wednes- cause I’m undefeated...I’m the mountain and even going to tallest mountain and day shrugged off critics in best at what I do.” the middle of the ocean,” said the face of a ruling that has “When you are the best in Kipchoge who ran 2:00.25 in even going to the banned her from defending the world people get obsessed his previous non-world record middle of the ocean. her world middle distance title with what you are doing.” attempt at Italy’s Monza mo- Eliud Kipchoge in Doha in September. “Probably I’m a ‘problem’ tor racing circuit in 2017. The 28 year-old has been because I’m an over-achiever “I have no doubts at all,” on breaking the two hour embroiled in a bitter legal so we must get rid of you,” said added the 34-year-old, who marathon record battle with the International the self-confident athlete. said he also wanted to make Association of Athletics Fed- Semenya was raised as a history before next year’s To- erations (IAAF) over rules that woman, races as a woman and kyo Olympics. A file photo of Kenyan world record holder Eliud Kipchoge, who reveals plans to break two hour marathon record.(REUTERS) force female athletes to regu- is legally classified as a woman. INEOS have yet to pro- late their testosterone levels. The IAAF argues that while vide details about race day that they had been approached championships in Doha end pacemakers and other aids but well, he was rising at 5 a.m. and Last month a Swiss court it accepts Semenya is legally a plans and identities of the of- to run as pacesetters. on Oct. 6. Kipchoge was unconcerned. running 200-220km a week. revoked a temporary suspen- woman, she has masculine at- ficial pacesetters in the 1:59 “I have been hare for Filip “Marathon is no longer an “I think it’s about history, “What has changed is sion on the IAAF’s controver- tributes stemming from differ- challenge http://www.ine- and Jacob for many years, so individual event, it’s a team about leaving a legacy,” said mental preparation,” he said. sial testosterone-curbing rules, ences of sexual development os159challenge.com. it will go well,” said Henrik, 28 event,” said Kipchoge, who set the Kenyan.