Robinson wins silver at Games despite breaking world record

Para Athlete Holly Robinson had the Commonwealth title and a fresh world record in the javelin throw cruelly snatched from her grasp in the final round by Welsh thrower Hollie Arnold.

It was ecstasy for Robinson as she opened the competition with a mighty effort of 43.32m, to eclipse Arnolds existing world record of 43.02m. The 23 year old from Dunedin was unable to replicate that performance in the remaining five rounds, but had a consistent series with all her throws over 40 metres. Her previous best and New Zealand record was 42.68m.

Not to be denied her record Arnold responded with a throw of 44.43m for the gold medal. Robinson final throw was 41.12m.

Robinson said that she was still happy with the silver medal.

"Just to compete for my country is amazing as Ive always dreamed for it. Although I settled for second place I did throw further than Ive ever thrown before and won that silver medal and Im absolutely stoked with that.

"It was a really big emotional sort of competition breaking the world record and my PB in the first round was just crazy and I just had to calm down from that and refocus on the next round and credit to Hollie for bringing that big one out in the last round, its pretty cool," said Robinson.

"I went into the first round thinking I just want to get a solid throw in to start the comp and it just ended up being this whopping throw. My goal was to get a PB at the end of the day and a medal and I got that," she added.

Robinson has a habit of second placings, with second at the Rio Olympics and second at last years World Para Athletic Championships on both occasions to Arnold.

"Hopefully one day that will change," said Robinson.

- This story has been automatically published using a media release from Athletics New Zealand