Riley Day, just 17, sets example for Commonwealth Games squad

SHE’S just 17, but has already set an example for the Australian Commonwealth Games athletes with her resilience.

Riley Day of Queensland celebrates winning the womens 200 metres final.

SHE’S just 17, but has already set an example for the Australian Commonwealth Games athletes with her resilience, according to her team head coach.

Riley Day will go to her home-state Commonwealth Games reminding herself she is “only 17’’ after racing to automatic selection in the 200m and clinching the sprint double at the Australian Athletics Championships at Carrara Stadium.

The “Beaudesert Bullet’’ continues to grow up before our eyes, posting an A-qualifying time to make sure she had an individual race at April’s Gold Coast Games - a.33sec personal best time of 22.93sec into a 1.7m/sec headwind.

As context for how fast Day is at her age, a 17-year-old Raelene Boyle clocked 22.74 in winning an astonishing silver medal at the 1968 Mexico Games.

Day is certain now to race in the 200m and 4x100m relay at the Gold Coast Games.

But Athletics Australia has confirmed that despite already being on the athletics team of up to 111 members, the Queensland teenager will not be a discretionary selection for the 100m because she does not have a qualifying time.

Riley Day of Queensland celebrates winning the womens’ 200 metres final.

Brisbane’s Alex Hartmann grabbed Games automatic selection for the 200m from his seat in the last-chance saloon, lifting a fourth straight national title in the event and encouraging to speak again of one day erasing the late Peter Norman’s national record of 20.06, which has stood since 1968.

With Brisbane’s Trae Williams retaining his 100m crown on Friday it means the four open sprint titles all fell to Queenslanders.

Australian team head coach Craig Hilliard said Day had not been “fit enough to run six races this week’’.

“She has had an interrupted preparation and there was some chance she wouldn’t do both events,’’ Hilliard said.

“So to run her fastest time in the sixth race tells you about her make-up and resilience. That’s what I want to see in terms of resilience in athletes in that cauldron. She is a mature athlete and you can’t buy that.’’

Asked what could be hoped for of Day in April, Hilliard said: “Let her run - let Riley go through the process of enjoying what she’s doing and competing. Let’s put targets out of her head, times out of her head. We have to be careful of where they sit as juniors and making that transition.’’

Day said it was the “icing on the cake’’ to achieve a national sprint double and a Games A-qualifier on the last day of the qualifying period to put up against seasoned Commonwealth athletes, some of whom will be more than 15 years her elder.

“It’s definitely a big competition (the Games) but I have to keep reminding myself I am only 17,’’ she said.

“They are older and I have hopefully a long way to way towards my best.

“If you asked me 12 months ago where I’d be (now) I wouldn’t have told you any of the places I’ve gone to and how I’ve succeeded.’’

Victorian Maddie Coates (23.06) also booked a 200m berth by finishing second to Day in a Games A-qualifying time.

Hartmann’s fourth 200m Australian title leaves him only one behind Norman’s record for consecutive wins in the event nationally, and his time in the final of 20.57 (headwind 2.1m/s) finally landed a Games B-qualifying time on the last day of the 13-month qualifying period.

“It’s the best run of my life into that headwind,’’ said Hartmann, who will also run in Australia’s Games 4x100m relay team.

Day and her coach Donna Thomas said they had no problem with her not being selected for the 100m, although past AA selectors have included athletes pending a performance which matched qualifying standards closer to a Games.

Originally published as Riley Day, just 17, sets example for Commonwealth Games squad