Travertz sets sight high for hammer throw

By ISAAC LIRI
TWENTY-five-year-old hammer thrower Jacklyn Badia Travertz is keen on doing well for Team PNG if selected in the final athletics squad for the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa.
Travertz told The National that she had set a personal goal to throw 50m in hope of winning a gold medal, a box she is yet to tick as a national representative.
The youngster might not be the only female thrower for PNG as it is understood that US-based Sharon Toako will be competing in this ffield event as well.
After setting a personal best of 42.23m and winning silver in the Pacific Mini Games last year in Vanuatu, Travertz hopes to surpass that mark by 7.5m to reach the 50m mark.
Over the last two weeks, Travertz was at the National Sport Institute in Goroka doing general training with the rest of the Athletics PNG train-on squad and returned to Port Moresby yesterday.
“Training is going good at the moment, I just completed my general training in Goroka and I’m satisfied with that,” Travertz said.
“I’ll be travelling down to Brisbane next week (Jan 29) and will start my build-up until May.
“I will be down in Brisbane till the Pacific Games so its’ going to be a long time away from my family and its’ going to be challenging.
“I’ve never been away from my family for that long but I know I’m doing this for them and the country.
“It will mean a lot to me if I win gold because I’ll be dedicating my success to my late mother.”