Fifth place at Commonwealth Games for Great Yarmouth thrower
England's Sophie McKinna Final at Hampden Park, during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Picture: David Davies/PA Wire. - Credit: PA
A season's best throw was not enough for Great Yarmouth thrower Sophie McKinna in the women's shot put.
England's Sophie McKinna Final at Hampden Park, during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Picture: David Davies/PA Wire. - Credit: PA
The 19-year-old Great Yarmouth and District AC member threw 16.59 metres in the final at Hampden Park – to earn her fifth place in the Commonwealth final.
But McKinna insisted she was happy to use Glasgow as a learning experience. The teenager won gold at the Commonwealth Youth Games on the Isle of Man three years ago and is a former world and European junior medallist.
However against a field that included two-time Olympic champion, New Zealand's Valerie Adams, she could have no complaints.
'To come fifth in the Commonwealth Games at 19, I'm pretty happy and to throw a season's best I'm even happier – you can't get much better than that,' said McKinna.
'I've had a pretty poor season and although I could have thrown better, I'm still pleased. I always want to better myself but I'm reasonably happy. It was absolutely amazing – there's great support out there for all the Home Nations.
'That's the last event of the season for me – I started back in January so it's been quite a long one and I've had enough for the year.'
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McKinna's throw was 12cm further than her best effort so far this season, but well short of the 17.12m personal best she threw in May 2013.
McKinna was over three metres short of the winning throw from Adams, of 19.88m. In second was Cleopatra Borel of Trinidad and Tobago with 18.57m and third was Canada's Julie Labonte with 17.58m.
Commonwealth Games England (CGE) leads and manages the participation of Team England at the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games. We work with sports, sponsors and Sport England to support the development of athletes and their sports, and to achieve success at Games-time.
