Gold medals and a World Championship qualification for Monash Athletics talent Georgia Griffith
A World Championships
qualifying time, a UniSport National Athletics Championship record and gold
medal, and taking out the Leonora Golden Gift last weekend… it’s been a
successful few months for 2018 Commonwealth Games representative Georgia
Griffith.
Georgia won a gold
medal in the 1500m at the UniSport National Athletics Championships in April, breaking the games
record by eight seconds and qualifying for the World University Championships. Since then, the
Communications Design and Business student certainly hasn’t slowed down.
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| Georgia at the UniSport Nationals Athletics Championships in April. |
Georgia said a
highlight of the year was competing in her first Diamond League competition in
Shanghai in May, where she achieved a World Championships qualifying time in
the 1500m.
“I was very happy
[to make the time], especially because it was quite early in the season, and it
takes a bit of pressure off for the rest of the season knowing that I’ve
already done the qualifier for the World Champs,” she said.
“It was an
absolutely awesome experience. The depth of the 1500m was very quick and fast,
so it was such a good racing experience being amongst such high level athletes.”
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| Georgia said she was "super stoked" with her time of 4:05.39 at the Shanghai Diamond League competition, her second fastest result ever. |
Last weekend,
Georgia took out the Women's Elite Mile of the Leonora Golden Gift with a dominating performance. The Golden Gift is known for its six 180 degree turns
throughout the course.
“It was hard to run
a particularly quick time because you run three laps and six turns in total,
which doesn’t really suit me,” Georgia said.
“But it was also a
really cool event, which just keeps me motivated throughout the season.”
“I’m doing a longer,
heavier block of training now, and then hopefully when I get over to Europe in
July/August, I’ll be able to do some faster races and go for the time then.”
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| Despite the unique challenges of a footrace, Georgia managed a convincing win in the Leonora Golden Gift on the weekend. Photo: Leonora Golden Gift. |
Georgia will be
racing in the 800m this season, but is focusing more on her performance in
the 1500m. She will be one of six Monash students competing in the World
University Games in Napoli, Italy, in July.
Last year she placed
fourth at the Games in the 800m.
“This year I’d
really like to make the final and hopefully really push myself and go for a
medal. But it will be tough, so I’ll just try my best,” she said.
“After World Uni
games, I’ll do three weeks up in altitude, and then some more racing [in Europe].”
Having got a taste
of international competition, Georgia has set her sights on qualifying for the
2020 Olympic Games.
To meet the standard,
she will need to run a one and a half second PB, or a time of 4:04.
“It would be great
if I could run the qualifying time this season, because if I do get the Olympic
standard, it’ll count for next year,” she said.
“I’ll be trying to
go for 4:03 or quicker, that will be the goal.”
You can do it
Georgia, we’re right behind you!
Written by Nell O’Shea
Carre, Media Coordinator.
