15 Jul 2012

Ratcliffe just misses out on World Champs medal, sets NZ record

3:54 pm on 15 July 2012

Julia Ratcliffe has come agonisingly close to a medal in the Hammer Throw at the World Junior Athletics Championships in Barcelona, throwing a magnificent 67.00 metres to finish fourth on her nineteenth birthday.

In the process she surpassed the New Zealand senior record.

The Hamilton student improved on her previous best and New Zealand Junior record of 64.21 metres four times and held the bronze medal position for several rounds.

Ratcliffe left for the World Championships with a ranking of tenth in the world and hoping to make the top eight.

She will return with a Commonwealth ranking of seventh and a genuine medal chance for Glasgow in 2014.

The previous New Zealand record of 65.91 metres had been held by Tasha Williams for 11 years.

Ratcliffe also set an Oceania Junior record in the competition.