Grace draws confidence from China training in bid for Asian top spot

PETALING JAYA: Hammer thrower Grace Wong (pic) is aiming to establish herself as the top Asian performer in her event at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

She believes her training in China with coach Gu Yuan could help her achieve her goal.

The 25-year-old Grace will begin her competition tomorrow in a field filled with Olympic and world-class talent at Scotstoun Stadium, and she is hoping to be among the 12 finalists.

Her national record of 65.41m places her ahead of India’s Tanya Chaudhary (63.91m) and compatriot Anushka Yadav (63.89m) among throwers from the Asian continent.

“Living and training in China have exposed me to a higher performance environment, which pushes me to improve daily,” said Grace.

“It has strengthened not only my athletic ability but also my mental resilience.”

Grace said training with Chinese athletes had made her realise what is needed to be world-class.

“Comparing with Asian-level throwers, especially athletes from China, their consistency and explosive strength are at higher standard,” she said.

“To close the gap, I need to improve my rotational speed, overall power, and stability in the entry phase.”

Canada’s Cam Rogers is the overwhelming favourite to defend the title she won in Birmingham in 2022.

The Olympic and champion enters the Games in exceptional form, having improved her own North American record to 81.13m at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in Austin, Texas, in April.

The throw is the fourth-farthest winning mark in women’s hammer history and moves the 26-year-old to second on the all-time world list, behind only Poland’s Anita Wlodarczyk, whose 82.98m world record has stood since 2016.

Besides the six-time national champion Rogers, the other pre-favorites are her compatriot Jillian Weir (.61m) and Zealand’s Lauren Bruce (71.63).