Congratulations Sarah Edmiston!

She wins the bronze medal for #TeamAUS in the F44 discus at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London.

It’s the first and only individual World Athletics Championship medal won by a WA state resident. And her husband Paul is the first and only WA coach to receive a World Athletics Championship medal also.

With her nervous first throw landing 32.42m and into the bronze medal position Sarah made the top 8 and that was enough to go through to the final rounds, with another 3 throws available. Her second effort improved to 33.65m and her third was her best throw of the day with 33.80m (OR & AR).

The two Chinese throwers in the meantime had thrown a huge 39.72 (YEO Juan) and 38.25m (YANG Yue) in the first rounds to claim first and second positions. Sarah decided as she was clear of the 4th place competitor (Germany’s Fredericke KOLEISKI, 30.98m) it was time to go after the two Chinese best throws.

“I felt reasonably comfortable that I would finish third, so I just went after some big throws in the final rounds” said Sarah. “But, in the end I am extremely happy to have got what I came here for and that is a medal!”.

Unfortunately, with the extra effort came some huge fouls out of the sector boundary in her final 3 rounds but it was still enough to claim the WORLD BRONZE MEDAL!!! Even with Fredericke throwing a personal best of 32.69m on her final round.

“This has been a tremendous learning experience for both of us and we have come away with lot’s to work on” says coach  Paul “But for now we will really enjoy the moment and achievement”.