Olivia McKoy of Jamaica is decorated in her country colours during the medal ceremony for the women Javelin Throw during 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia on March 19, 2006 (Photo by Daniel Peters/Allsports)

McKoy said Crowd helped her to win bronze
Thursday March 23, 2006

MELBOURNE, Australia - Jamaican javelin thrower Olivia McKoy, who won Jamaica's first medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games at the weekend, said the cheering fans, supporting the home favourites in the event, helped inspire her to produce her podium mark at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on the opening day of athletic competition.

McKoy, who failed to impress on her previous visit to Australia during the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, started the competition with a first round best throw of 57.04m, but was pushed down to second in the next round when South African Sunette Violjoen surprised her competitors with a 60.72m effort, which turned out to be the winning mark in the end.

McKoy slipped even further in the competition to fifth when defending champion Laverne Eve of the Bahamas, Australian Kimberly Mickle and England's Goldie Sayers also went past her heading into the sixth and final round.

However, encouraged by the massive 70,000 crowd in the MCG, the Jamaican produced a season's best to effort of 58.27 to move into third place and held on for the bronze.

"I told myself after dropping to fifth that I had to do something on my final throw because I wanted a medal today," McKoy told the Jamaica Gleaner after her event.

"With the crowd cheering the Australian on, that encouraged me to go out and earn the bronze medal. I am really proud of my achievement here.

"To come to the Commonwealth Games and to walk away with a bronze medal in the first field event final makes me very happy," she added.

Violjoen took gold with 60.72m just ahead of Eve with 60.54m.

Jamaica grabbed another medal in the athletic program when Dorian Scott finished second in the men's Shot Put with a mark of 19.75.

Gary Smith - World-Track Sports Media