Vancouver's Liz Gleadle proves it's more than OK to 'throw like a girl'
VANCOUVER, July 17, 2012 /CNW/ - Canadian record holder Liz Gleadle is headed to London to represent Canada at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Gleadle is the first Canadian woman to throw the javelin at an Olympics since Montreal's Celine Chartrand competed in Seoul in 1988, the year Gleadle was born.
After picking up the javelin in high school, the road to the Games has been paved with countless throws, hundreds of exhausting weight training sessions and becoming 'queen of the ice bath', but it has paid off. Today, the 6'1" Gleadle is 185lbs of solid muscle, and she throws javelin better than any woman in Canada. She has continually climbed the ranks of competitive javelin since breaking the Canadian Youth Record at championships in 2005, and holds the women's Canadian record today.
To gain her competitive edge leading up to the Games, Gleadle took a year off her studies in kinesiology at UBC to focus on her sport, and moved to Lethbridge to work with throws coach Larry Steinke. Despite being troubled with injuries over the last few months, Gleadle qualified to compete in London by meeting the IAAF's B standard twice, and then meeting the 61.00 metre A with a Canadian record toss of 61.15m at the Harry Jerome meet at Burnaby's Swangard Stadium on June 10. She overcame an ankle injury on June 29 to win the Canadian championships at the Olympic trials in Calgary with a throw of 60.13m, which firmly cemented her place on the Canadian Olympic Team.
In the weeks leading up to the Games, Gleadle is training in Lethbridge, and then will finish preparation in Austria. Gleadle is ready to give it her all to represent her country in the London 2012 Olympic Games in August.
Visit London 2012, the main website for the London 2012 Olympic Games, where information can be found about current news, schedules, and results
Learn more about Liz Gleadle at www.lizgleadle.com and follow Gleadle's updates on Twitter @lgjavelin.
Image with caption: "Liz Gleadle is ready for the Games. Photo credit: Andy White (CNW Group/Liz Gleadle, Canadian Olympic Team)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120717_C8867_PHOTO_EN_16274.jpg
For interview opportunities or photos contact:
Leeann Froese
604-904-9792 @lfroese
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