Spikes29 Jul 2014


Typical Mickle

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Australian javelin thrower Kim Mickle (© Getty Images)

After silver at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Australian javelin record holder and occasional rock star Kim Mickle will be hoping to go one better in Glasgow this week. The 29-year-old World Championship silver medallist talks us through her typical day.

“My days are very similar. I usually wake up at 7.30am and have my breakfast, which is always a cup of coffee followed by some fresh fruit, yoghurt and dried fruit.

“I then jump in the car and travel ten minutes to training. The first session of the day, from 9-11am, will be throws at least three times a week. After some stretching and a warm-up it will all be about technique, technique, technique.

“I don’t like to throw more than three times a week because it can take a big toll on the body. My two-hour throws sessions are probably the longest of my 14 sessions every week.

Kim Mickle Commonwealth Games

Mickle took silver in Delhi 2010 and is hoping for more Commonwealth glory

“Afterwards I’ll go for a debrief with my coach on how the session went, and probably grab another coffee – my second and final one of the day.

“Next I’ll go for either some physio or a massage. Otherwise I might visit a school along with a gymnast to teach the kids the importance of exercise and eating the right foods.

“We do the talks through the Institute of Sport out here in Western Australia. I normally visit ten schools and ten sports clubs a term.

“Kids are pretty funny. They might ask something random like 'what’s your favourite colour and do you have a dog?' [It sounds just like SPIKES’ interview technique…]

“Sometimes, though, they will ask some really smart questions. I’ve been asked how much a javelin weighs and why men and women throw with javelins of different weights, for instance. 

“I then might have a lunch – usually something nice and healthy made up of fruit, veg and meat. I also sometimes have sushi.”

Kim Mickle Moscow SPIKES

"Put your hands up if you like sushi" 

“My afternoon sessions will normally start at 3pm. It could be a weights session in the gym, I normally do three of these a week. I also do a sprint session, a couple of circuit training sessions, a dynamic plyometrics session, yoga session, a long run session and a couple of additional sessions.

“On a Wednesday I normally do three sessions a day and might end with a running or a yoga session.

“After my final session of the day, I’ll then normally drive to the supermarket on the way home and pick up whatever I feel like for dinner. I’ll normally have salmon, yoghurt, nuts and a big salad.

“I’ll basically then keep on eating until I go to bed! I might flick on the telly or have a yarn. I’m a sit-com girl. I find I get too restless for movies. I love Modern Family of Seinfeld.

“I spend the rest of my night catching up with flat-mates. I live with three other people in Scarborough, a really nice suburb in Perth – which is perfect. I live with one person who works away for three weeks of every month and a couple, who are both teachers.

“We get along really well and I hear all their stories about school and they hear all my stories about training. They keep saying, ‘Kim, you’re living the dream.’ And I say, ‘Yeah, you’re right!’”