Jacko Gill
Encyclopedia
Jackson "Jacko" Gill is a shot put
ter from New Zealand
.
At the 2010 World Junior Championships in Athletics
, he won a gold medal in the shot put. He is the youngest-ever male junior champion, beating the previous youngest, Usain Bolt
, 2008 Olympic sprint champion and world-record holder.
In 2010, prior to the World Junior Championships, Gill threw the 5 kg shot 22.53 m at an event in Stockholm
, Sweden
, exceeding the best-known performances with that weight for 15- and 16-year-olds. He improved to 22.60 m in finishing second at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games
despite being unwell. On 11 December 2010, at the New Zealand National Secondary Schools Championships, Gill set a youth (under-18) world-best performance of 23.86 m (5 kg).
On 26 March 2011, at the New Zealand National Championships, Gill achieved 21.34 m with the 6 kg shot, at the time ranking him 4th on the all-time IAAF junior list for shot put.
On 23 April 2011, at 16 years of age, Gill threw 20.01 m with the senior shot (7.26 kg). Gill's throw broke the 44-year-old New Zealand national record
set by Les Mills
in 1967.
This performance surpassed the standard for the 2011 Athletics World Championships, however the rules for that competition exclude anyone of Jacko's age competing in any throwing events. An appeal to the IAAF for an exception to be made to this regulation to allow Gill to compete was rejected. The performance also surpassed the B standard for the 2012 Olympics however not only was it outside the qualifying period (which started on 1 May) it was also less than the qualification standard (20.30 m) subsequently set by Athletics New Zealand. Gill has been reported as the youngest and one of the lightest athletes to throw over 20 m.
On 7 July 2011 at the 2011 World Youth Championships in Athletics
in Lille Métropole
, France
, Gill won the gold medal by 4 m with a World Youth Best Performance of 24.35 m.
er and national shot-put champion, and his mother, Nerida, is a former discus thrower. He attends Takapuna Grammar School
.
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
ter from New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
At the 2010 World Junior Championships in Athletics
2010 World Junior Championships in Athletics
The 13th World Junior Championships in Athletics was an international athletics competition for athletes under the age of 20 which was held at the Moncton Stadium in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada from 19–25 July 2010. A total of 44 athletics events were contested at the Championships, 22 by male...
, he won a gold medal in the shot put. He is the youngest-ever male junior champion, beating the previous youngest, Usain Bolt
Usain Bolt
The Honourable Usain St. Leo Bolt, OJ, C.D. , is a Jamaican sprinter and a five-time World and three-time Olympic gold medalist. He is the world record and Olympic record holder in the 100 metres, the 200 metres and the 4×100 metres relay...
, 2008 Olympic sprint champion and world-record holder.
Career
At the 2010 World Junior Championships in Athletics, as a 15-year-old, Gill won the gold in the shot put (6 kg) with a distance of 20.76 m, beating 18- and 19-year-olds and becoming the youngest-ever male junior champion.In 2010, prior to the World Junior Championships, Gill threw the 5 kg shot 22.53 m at an event in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, exceeding the best-known performances with that weight for 15- and 16-year-olds. He improved to 22.60 m in finishing second at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games
Youth Olympic Games
The Youth Olympic Games is an international multi-sport event first held in Singapore from August 14 to August 26, 2010. The games are held every four years in staggered summer and winter events consistent with the current Olympic Games format. The age limitation of the athletes is between 14 to 18...
despite being unwell. On 11 December 2010, at the New Zealand National Secondary Schools Championships, Gill set a youth (under-18) world-best performance of 23.86 m (5 kg).
On 26 March 2011, at the New Zealand National Championships, Gill achieved 21.34 m with the 6 kg shot, at the time ranking him 4th on the all-time IAAF junior list for shot put.
On 23 April 2011, at 16 years of age, Gill threw 20.01 m with the senior shot (7.26 kg). Gill's throw broke the 44-year-old New Zealand national record
New Zealand records in athletics
The following are the national records in athletics in New Zealand maintained by New Zealand's national athletics federation: Athletics New Zealand ....
set by Les Mills
Les Mills
Leslie Roy Mills CNZM, MBE, is a retired New Zealand athlete, who represented New Zealand at Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games over two decades. He competed in shot put, discus and weightlifting events...
in 1967.
This performance surpassed the standard for the 2011 Athletics World Championships, however the rules for that competition exclude anyone of Jacko's age competing in any throwing events. An appeal to the IAAF for an exception to be made to this regulation to allow Gill to compete was rejected. The performance also surpassed the B standard for the 2012 Olympics however not only was it outside the qualifying period (which started on 1 May) it was also less than the qualification standard (20.30 m) subsequently set by Athletics New Zealand. Gill has been reported as the youngest and one of the lightest athletes to throw over 20 m.
On 7 July 2011 at the 2011 World Youth Championships in Athletics
2011 World Youth Championships in Athletics
The 2011 World Youth Championships in Athletics were the seventh edition of the World Youth Championships in Athletics. They were held in Lille Métropole, France, with stadium-based events at Stadium Lille-Métropole in Villeneuve d'Ascq, on 6–10 July, 2011. Eligible athletes were aged 16 or 17 on...
in Lille Métropole
Urban Community of Lille Métropole
The Urban Community of Lille Métropole is the intercommunal structure gathering the commune of Lille and that part of the Lille metropolitan area that lies in France....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Gill won the gold medal by 4 m with a World Youth Best Performance of 24.35 m.
Personal
Gill's father, Walter, is a former discus throwDiscus throw
The discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
er and national shot-put champion, and his mother, Nerida, is a former discus thrower. He attends Takapuna Grammar School
Takapuna Grammar School
Takapuna Grammar School is a decile 10 secondary school located in the suburb of Belmont, North Shore City, Auckland, New Zealand. Established in 1927, TGS currently has a roll of around 1600 students from the North Shore. It serves many communities such as Bayswater, Belmont, Devonport, Takapuna...
.