The Geelong javelin star chasing greatness

MACKENZIE Mielczarek’s rapid rise through the javelin ranks is continuing, with the Geelong athlete preparing for a crucial stretch of competition across Europe in May and June.

The 23-year-old from the Corio Athletics Club is ranked 54th in the world and is currently based in Zurich as part of her European training and competition campaign.

Mielczarek is training under Terry McHugh, an Irish-born Swiss national coach, alongside his elite squad. Her schedule includes competitions and training camps in Germany, Switzerland, Spain, the Czech Republic and Austria, where she will work alongside some of the world’s leading athletes and coaches.

After representing Australia multiple times at junior level, Mielczarek decided to pursue athletics full-time following a ninth-place finish at the 2022 World under-20 Athletics Championships in Colombia.

“I broke my foot a couple weeks before those championships and once I completed my rehab, I made some big changes to my training and decided then that it was time to get really serious,” she said.

“Since then, I have travelled all over the world competing overseas for several months out of every year.

“I am now consistently competing against the best in the world and improving my global ranking, taking big steps toward eventually competing at global championships.”

Mielczarek joined the Corio Athletics Club through Little Athletics in the under-9 age group and quickly developed a love for the technical demands of javelin.

“It is a constant pursuit of perfection,” she said.

“Javelin is one of the most technical and physically complex events in track and field. It is rhythm, speed, strength, power and timing all at once.

“If even one part of the chain falls apart, even slightly, it affects the throw. I appreciate the event for the fact that I don’t think anyone can ever truly master it and if they do manage to for one throw, replicating it is insanely difficult.”

Mielczarek said her training was geared towards maintaining form and fitness across the international season.

“I spend several hours a day training, both on the track and in the gym,” she said. “We’re mostly working on maintenance at the moment; just staying fit, keeping in touch with speed and power and ensuring technical elements hold up throw after throw.”

Despite competing around the world, Mielczarek said her home club remained central to her journey.

“Corio is a pretty small club and has always been quite tight-knit,” she said.

“Having their support from the beginning of my Little Athletics journey up to now where I’m competing all over the world and getting to put on the green and gold, has been amazing.

“They’ve seen every step of my career and have shown tremendous support. I can’t express how grateful I am to have them all in my corner.”

Mielczarek said her goals are “unapologetically ambitious”.

“I want to be the best in the world,” she said.