Langley heptathlete Georgia Ellenwood used to be reluctant to talk about her chances of qualifying for major competitions.
“I’d be scared to talk about it for fear it wouldn’t happen,” Ellenwood told the Langley Advance Times.
She has no trouble talking about it now, which may have something to do with the fact that she has effectively clinched a spot at the 2020 Olympic games.
Ellenwood explained that there are two ways she could qualify for the Olympics, either by being in the top 24 in the world or scoring more than 6,420 points in a competition.
Currently ranked 13th in the world, the international ranking alone would appear be enough, but Ellenwood would like to lock it down by meeting the points requirement as well.
“Ideally, I’d like to secure my spot by [meeting the] standard,” Ellenwood said.
That quest got off to a good start on April 18 in Azusa, California, when she opened her season by scoring 6,135 points despite a slow start, bettering her 800-metre personal best by more than three seconds.
READ MORE: Langley’s Georgia Ellenwood takes gold at Big Ten Outdoor Championships
Her next opportunity to meet the standard will come in Austria on May 25 and 26.
Ellenwood is also shooting for a world championship qualifying standard, which is different from the Olympics at 6,300.
In the heptathlon each athlete competes in seven events, and earns points depending on their performance. The winner is the athlete with the most points at the end. 1,00 is considered a very good score.
The heptathlon takes place over two days.
The first day consists of (in order): 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200m. Day two comprises the long jump, javelin and 800m.
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Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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