Western Athletics shot putter Julia Bourke is faced with a test of nerves each time she steps into the circle.
No matter how many big-level competitions she has been involved in, the nerves are always jangling in the moments leading up to her first throw.
“Once I get my first throw out of the way, I’m usually okay,” Bourke told Star Weekly.
The nerves of Bourke’s competitors probably start to kick in at this point.
The talented 17-year-old has been in a league of her own at state level this season, backing up her first place finish at the under-20 junior state titles with a breakthrough gold in the open state championships.
“It comes down to good winter training and lots of hours at the track,” Bourke said. “It’s also about controlling the nerves for me.”
You could see Bourke’s gold in the open women’s shot put coming from a mile off.
She won bronze in 2014, followed by silver last year and finally got to stand on the podium with the gold medal this year.
“I’ve got the full set now,” she said with a laugh.
Bourke has recently branched into the hammer throw.
She broke a club record with a throw of 44.69 metres, which saw her finish fifth in the state titles.
But in the short term, Bourke will make her biggest impact as a shot putter.
She is preparing for her third Australian Athletics Championships, starting in Sydney later this month.
After throwing 13.14 metres in the state open final, her coach Fernando Canepa is hoping the youngster can raise the bar.
“This season, the coach wants a high 13 or a 14,” Bourke said.
Canepa has been a steadying influence over Bourke.
He keeps Bourke’s mind of the job whenever it might be wandering.
“I enjoy the training for the most part, but there are some days when I’m exhausted and I can’t be bothered,” Bourke said. “That’s where Fernando comes into it and he tells me to get on with it. He’s been good with little technique tweaks a few weeks out from nationals. He was competing up until three years ago and then he injured himself.”
Bourke long term ambition is to represent Australia at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast
For now, testing herself against the best on the national stage will do.
“Top six would be good and a PB,” she said. “There’s not as much competition around Victoria as there was this time last year, but there definitely will be when I get to nationals, so that will be a bit of a test. We’re probably not looking at the podium just yet.”
Meanwhile, Matthew Hussey took home gold in the under-16 3km race at the junior national championships in Perth.
Adora Arch picked up silver in the U15 girls 100m final, while there were bronze medals for Liam Cashin (U20 5000m), who achieved a PB, Aliyah Canepa (U15 Discus) and Arch (U16 4 x 200 relay).
