Nine NSW athletes are Birmingham-bound
Published Mon 16 May 2022
16 May 2022
Nine NSW athletes are Birmingham-bound
Today nine NSW athletes were announced in the initial selections of 32 athletes for the Australian Commonwealth Games team for Birmingham 2022. The group includes five Para-Athletes and features two athletes on the rise Julie Charlton and Sarah Clifton-Bligh.
This first wave includes the automatic selections from the Australian Championships and the complete Para-Athletics team members. Final team selections will occur in mid-June.
Distance pair Jessica Hull (5000m) and Olli Hoare (1500m) are joined by high jumping duo Eleanor Patterson and Nicola McDermott. National Para-Athletics team regulars Evan O'Hanlon (100m T38), Rosemary Little (100m T34) and Christie Dawes (T54 1500m & Marathon) are joined by debutantes Sarah Clifton-Bligh (T34 100m) and Julie Charlton (T57 Shot Put).
The journey to selection for Cherrybrook Club athlete Julie Charlton has been a challenge. She knew she was a chance of selection as she was top ranked in the Commonwealth in 2021.
“It really has been a massive roller coaster to this point,” recalled Charlton. “I started off the preseason preparation in June of 2021 after just coming out of hospital, determined to get my life back in order. I got myself into S&C training with my coach Mitch Kerr with the goal to make the team in a years’ time.”
Her selection scenario was that eight athletes would be invited, the first seven automatically from the Commonwealth rankings as at April 2022. The eighth place would be filled discretionary, titled a ‘bipartite Invitation’.
With this criteria clear for Julie Charlton, she was making excellent progress mid-summer.
“January 2022 was major, getting a massive personal best at the beginning of the season in Canberra. Being a coach myself, it was hard to not study the ranking list, which I ultimately did anyway.”
Charlton was comfortably in the top-7, but just before the close of the of the qualifying period, she slipped to eighth ranking when there were a few Indian athletes classified. It was a nervous time over the last month as waited to see if she would be offered the bipartite Invitation.
“Maintaining my mental health was my personal goal, knowing the rankings would fluctuate, but I am now just over the moon to be selected for my first Commonwealth Games.”
The feeling when she was finally confirmed?
“Elated, overwhelmed and excitement all in one. I was ecstatic to be chosen for my first Commonwealth Games, incredibly overwhelmed to be representing my country again on the world stage and over the top excitement to be wearing the green and gold again in the sport that I love dearly with some of my idols on the same squad.”
Going back five or so years did you ever think you could wear the green and gold in a senior Australian team?
“It has been a career long dream to be able to represent para sport in any way that I can. Going back to the beginning of my sporting career, I never thought I would ever represent my country, let alone make a career in sport my reality. Before I started in sport, people didn’t know how to include me in sporting events. It took two of my PE teachers from two schools (Mr Butcher and Mr Muir) to actually believe in my ability and take a chance to include me in sport, giving me a fair shot at success.”
As a teenager, she competed was at the 2016 IWAS World Junior Championships in Prague and in the 2019 Oceania Championships in Townsville.
“I cannot wait to once again put on the Australian Uniform and put all my hard work into practice.”
In the leadup to the Games, she will be across all the news as she is currently on a three month internship at ABC Sport as a casual sport reporter under the guidance of Amanda Shalala.
“It has provided me with the opportunity to make a difference for para sport in the way of shaping media to represent para sport in the way we wish to be represented.”
NSW Selections 2022 Commonwealth Games team
5000m Jessica Hull (BAN)
High Jump Eleanor Patterson (BAN)
High Jump Nicola McDermott (SYU)
1500m Oliver Hoare (SUT)
100 m T34 Sarah Clifton-Bligh (SYU)
100 m T34 Rosemary Little (HIL)
1500m & Marathon T54 Christie Dawes (HUN)
Shot Put F57 Julie Charlton (CHE)
We also recognise a number of other NSW related selections: Liz Clay - formerly of NSW now in Queensland, Madison de Rozario – the Sydney-base WA athlete and Angie Ballard – the Canberra-based former NSW athlete.
David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Image: Julie Charlton (Image Courtesy of David Tarbotton)
