Some ring the doorbell and others politely knock, but Lianna Davidson just kicked the door down. The seasoned veterans of Australian javelin would be reluctant to concede a changing of the guard just yet, but a fresh wave of women will soon ask the question of the greats.
World Championships bronze medallist Mackenzie Little will headline the Women’s Javelin at Saturday’s Maurie Plant Meet – Melbourne, but a 22-year-old fresh off the plane from The University of Georgia is out to announce herself at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meet.
Throwing 63.79m to go to seventh on the Australian all-time list in Atlanta last week, Davidson landed herself as the nation’s newest hope in the event that boasts such a rich history – in recent years headlined by two-time world champion Kelsey-Lee Barber, four-time Olympian Kathryn Mitchell and World Championships silver medallist Kimberley Mickle.
Now jetting home exclusively for the Melbourne contest against Little and Japan’s Sae Takemoto and Momone Ueda, Davidson is ready to rise to the occasion:
“Australian javelin is crazy! I remember at the Tokyo Olympics we had three in the top eight. That level makes it super hard to make teams, but it’s inspiring because we have such a rich history and it makes you want to get better,” Davidson says.
“Competing with some of them will be so awesome. I really enjoy the competitions where I am surrounded by that level because it feels like you are making progress.”
While fellow 22-year-old Mia Gordon will be another name to watch having launched to 59.17m earlier this month, Davidson is still adjusting to her season-opening 63.79m throw which added over three metres to her career-best – landing just 21cm shy of the World Championships qualifying standard.
“My coach entered me because he said I should have a hit-out before the gold standard event in Melbourne. I wasn’t expecting to do anything too crazy, but I felt so good warming up. I opened with a 59 and it was just terrible; the flight was so far off and it still went 59 metres,” Davidson says.
“So, I was like ok if I’m throwing 59 and not even hitting the point – I can definitely throw it really far today.”
Hailing from a baseball background before hitting the NCAA system, first for Texas A&M and now The University of Georgia, the rising star has bounced off the energy of fellow Australian throwers Alexander Kolesnikoff and Stephanie Ratcliffe at the renowned throwing factory.
“I do have a very different technique to the rest of the Australian women where my arm is very short in terms of the pull on it because of baseball. I started playing baseball when I was four and when I picked up the javelin for the first time, I think I broke some records straight away,” Davidson says.
“This year feels on schedule so far; my goal was always to make the World Championships and to be on an Australian team. Staying consistent can be hard in college because you are competing so often, so if I can do that, I will be super happy.”
Coached by Don Babbitt at Georgia and Angus McEntyre in Australia, Davidson naturally draws inspiration from Mackenzie Little, regularly compared to her Olympic counterpart coming through the ranks in New South Wales where the pair share a host of junior records.
“I have managed to always have a good relationship with my coach back in Australia, so I have never got to the stage where I really need to rebuild again wherever I am in the world. Having coaches who connect with Angus and understand who I am as a thrower has been really important,” Davidson says.
“Everyone has such a different technique in javelin that it can be hard to tell where you are at. You almost never see two techniques that are the same.”
Delivering a personal best every year since picking up the javelin, the 22-year-old is hoping to continue Australia’s legacy in the event:
“Javelin is an event where you kind of peak at an older age, so at least I have some time to build until I hit that peak.”
Final tickets can be purchased HERE, with gate sales not guaranteed on event day pending capacity.
Full entry lists, schedules and live results can be found here:
Maurie Plant Meet – Melbourne (Gold)
Melbourne Invitational (Bronze)
By Lachlan Moorhouse, Australian Athletics
Posted 28/03/2025
