Games spot on radar for teen star after shock under-20 national crown

She’s still just 16, but the coach of Hobart hammer thrower Arielle Cannell believes the 2028 Olympics isn’t unrealistic for her star pupil after she claimed the under-20s crown at the national championships.

Tasmania hammer thrower Arielle Cannell with coach Rachel Hosie after she won the under-20 title at the Australian Athletics Championships. Picture: Athletics Tasmania

The coach of emerging hammer thrower Arielle Cannell believes targeting a spot at the 2028 Olympics isn’t unrealistic after the 16-year-old upstaged far older opposition at the Australian Athletics Championships on Thursday.

Competing in the under-20 division, the Hobart teenager threw a personal best 54.25m with the heavier weight to claim gold ahead of Queenslander Natasha Lynch (51.80m).

The feat adds to the under-16 and under-18 crowns she claimed at the National All School Championships in December.

Coach Rachel Hosie began mentoring her four years ago, when Cannell was initially competing in shot put and discus under Hosie’s father, Roger.

Cannell quickly proved she was a natural and has cleared every barrier put in front of her thus far.

Hosie said stepping up to senior level competition will be the next challenge. And while the 2032 Games in Brisbane is the main target, Los Angeles four years earlier won’t be ignored.

“It’s definitely on the cards. The sky’s the limit, we may as well target something big,” Hosie said.

“I think she has aspirations of representing Australia and is definitely targeting Brisbane, but if we can go to the one before it that’d be fantastic.”

Hosie said her under-20 title came as a pleasant shock even to those within her own camp.

“Leading up to it we weren’t sure about four weeks out, but closer to the date she trained really consistently. We thought she could get a PB and that could be enough to medal,” Hosie said.

“She smashed her PB by almost three metres and won the thing, which was a big surprise for all of us and very exciting.

Hammer thrower Arielle Cannell at Hobart’s Domain Athletics Centre last year. Picture: Chris Kidd

“It moves here to no. 3 all-time Tasmanian as well, which as a 16-year-old is pretty incredible.”

Cannell will start a hot favourite in the under-18s at Adelaide on Monday, and she is looking to compete in the same division at the Oceania Championships at Fiji in June.

After that she will soon come up against older competitors as the next stage of her development.

“After Oceania Championships we’re thinking of putting her on the open weight, and pushing her for the future rather than juniors,” Hosie said.

Hosie said she knew Cannell had tremendous potential as a 12-year-old when she first started coaching her, but had already exceeded initial expectations.

“She was pretty good as a junior with shot put and discus, but it wasn’t quite her specialty and we gave hammer throw a try,” she said.

Tasmania hammer thrower Arielle Cannell competing at the Australian Athletics Championships. Picture: Supplied

“My dad was her shot put and discus coach, and I wasn’t coaching at the time. He said we have no hammer coaches left, and asked me to coach.

“Within a couple of months it clicked, she went from throwing 17 metres with a standing throw to 35 metres two weeks later.

“She just got the technique and studied it. She did a lot of work to get to where she is today in those first six months, just drilling like nothing else.”

In other results in Adelaide at time of publication, north west athlete Chelsea Scolyer continued her scorching recent form with silver in the under-20 100m.

Alice Smillie won gold in the under-20 women’s para 400m, while Deon Kenzie claimed bronze in the men’s open (ambulant) 1500m.