Canadian shot-put star Sarah Mitton basking in the most successful stretch of her career
CBC
Standing just 5-foot-6, Sarah Mitton isn't the most daunting figure in the shot put circle. But what she lacks in size, she makes up with grit and attitude.
"Give 'er hell in the circle and hope for the best," she told CBC Sport as she prepares for the national championships this week in the township of Langley, B.C.
She competes Saturday night.
Throwing free and fearlessly, Mitton is basking in the most successful stretch of her athletic career.
Mitton followed that up by shattering the outdoor Canadian record in May, also held by Crew, at the Golden Horseshoe Prep Meet in Hamilton. In her final throw of the event, Mitton threw 19.58 metres — Crew's previous record was 19.28.
"Those big throws are effortless. That is the sweet spot I've found. That's why 2022 people are calling it Mitton season," the 25-year-old from Brooklyn, N.S., said, laughing.
"Athletics Canada said it was Mitton season on social media. It was indoor season so that worked really, really well. The cold weather. My last name. And my coach now has latched onto it. We're hoping despite the hot weather Mitton season continues in Langley and at worlds."
Athletics Canada head coach Glenroy Gilbert has great expectations for Mitton but says she still has to put it together at the big international meets.
"If you look at the way she performed in Tokyo and what she's doing now, she's corrected a few things. She's done good stuff in terms of where she is now but you have to get to the championships," he told CBC Sports.
"How you throw when the pressure is on, that is what we're looking for. She's done it in some of the Diamond Leagues but she has to take it to Eugene now."
Things couldn't be more different right now for Mitton compared to last summer. She went to Tokyo with hopes of advancing to the finals. Instead she somewhat unravelled on the big stage, placing 28th.
She says she was so worried about fouling that she got in the way of herself being able to throw confidently.
"Throwing 16 metres at the Olympics was not fun. I don't want to be in that position ever again," she said.
"I had a big letdown after the Olympic Games. It wasn't my best showing. I sat in that and reflected on it. I had a really high foul rate. I fouled a lot of throws. When I would get to these major events I would try to slow down and control my throw a lot of more and save it. But I would have to slow so much that my distances would fall short of what I could produce."
