EUGENE, Ore. – NCU’s All-American javelin throwers Christian Hackney and Bailey Dell have been busy this summer, with impressive showings at both the Athletics Ontario Championship and the Canadian Track & Field Championships and Rio Selection Trials.
Fresh off the heels of their strong finishes to the CCC and NAIA seasons, both Hackney and Dell continued training in preparation for the Athletics Ontario Championship, a provincial championship event in Toronto that gives athletes an opportunity to qualify for the Canadian Championships.
Hackney hit a qualifying mark of 60.17m, his best throw of the year, and took third place. Dell also qualified with a heave of 42.23m. She said, “My throw in Toronto certainly wasn’t my best performance, but it did land me a first place finish.”
At the Canadian championships, taking place in the midst of a heavy storm that brought wind, rain and cold temperatures, Hackney ended up in eighth place with a best throw of 56.84 meters. He said, “I ended up throwing over 56 meters on all six of my throws and in those conditions I was happy with the result. Out of both the men’s and women’s competitions there was just one person that managed to throw a personal best. Everyone else was 8-15 meters below.
“It was nice competing at the Olympic Trials and seeing some familiar faces. It was good to see where I stacked up with the best in Canada. Most of the guys who made the final with me have represented Canada internationally at some point in their careers and have hit some huge numbers. It was an eye-opener in a good way because some of them have come a long way in a short period of time and I feel like I can accomplish the same.”
Dell finished the event in seventh place, landing a top throw of 42.96m. “I wasn’t near my best,” she said, “but I am still very grateful to have competed at an Olympic trial. It was an amazing experience competing against past and current Canadian Olympians. Seeing how they compete and the way they carry themselves really motivates me to work harder.
Both throwers plan to continue competing this summer in preparation for their junior seasons at NCU next year. They plan to enter a number of small events during the summer “club” season before heading to the Eastern Canadian Championships on August 6.
With the Rio qualification window now closed, both throwers will refocus on their final two seasons at NCU and beyond.
Hackney said that he still aspires to try and qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, but that’s not his focus. “They say a javelin thrower can peak anywhere between 28 and 32 years old, so I definitely hope to still be throwing in 2020. The Olympic standard is 83 meters, though, so I’m more focused on the four years in between now and then and improving as much as I can. I’ve been throwing over 60 meters quite a bit since I got home so I really feel like I missed the ball in Alabama at the NAIA Championships. I know I have it in me to be a national champion. Tokyo 2020 is the end goal for every javelin thrower but I want to accomplish quite a bit before that, starting with an NAIA title next season.”
For Dell, the goal is to repeat as CCC Champion and hopefully pull off an NAIA championship as well. Beyond that she says, “My plan is definitely to compete at the 2020 Olympic trial in hopes of making the Olympic team. I know it will require a lot of hard work and dedication but I feel that if I stay focus I will be able to give it a fair shot.
Dell says the pair is also planning to compete next summer for a spot in the Canada Games and possibly the World University Games in China, a standard that is close to five meters past her personal best. “I know I’m capable of throwing bigger marks these next two years at NCU because I am confident in [Throws Coach] Paula [Berry] and I have my teammates to push me. I am excited to see what is to come in the future.”