MITCHELL Kathryn < Back  
Sport Athletics
CGA Australia   
Gender Women
Born 10 Jul 1982 in Hamilton, AUS
Height1.68 m
Human Interest
Further Personal Information
Residence Ballarat, VIC, AUS
General Interest
Injuries She withdrew from the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, due to injury. (thecourier.com.au, 11 Sep 2019)

Her training was disrupted ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, due to an Achilles tendon injury. She went on to win gold at the Games. (abc.net.au, 12 Apr 2018)

In 2015 she suffered from patellar tendonitis in her right knee. She was only able to take part in a few competitions throughout the year, but did compete at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, People's Republic of China. (athletesconfidential.wordpress.com, 01 Jun 2017)

In early 2013 she underwent ankle surgery. (abc.net.au, 16 Aug 2013)

She was unable to compete between February and April 2012 because of a foot injury. (thecourier.com.au, 15 Apr 2012)
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport? She was introduced to the sport when her sister brought home a javelin from school. Her coach Lindsay Burgoyne then encouraged her to take up the sport seriously.
General Interest
Hero / Idol Czech javelin thrower Jan Zelezny, Australian sprinter Cathy Freeman. (olympics.com.au, 26 Jun 2012; vis.org.au, 01 Jun 2012)
Ambitions To win a gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (dailytelegraph.com.au, 13 Apr 2018)
Sport Specific Information
Name of coach Uwe Hohn [personal, partner], GER, from 2010
When and where did you begin this sport? She took up athletics in 1997 with Eureka Athletic Club in Ballarat, VIC, Australia, and began to focus on the javelin at age 17.
Further Personal Information
Occupation Athlete
Languages English
General Interest
Hobbies Gardening, writing, travelling, cooking, interior design and decorating, listening to podcasts, painting, reading. (Facebook page, 04 Dec 2019; Facebook profile, 31 Dec 2020)
Sporting philosophy / motto "Believe in yourself and there will come a day when others will have no choice but to believe in you." (vis.org.au, 01 May 2018)
Memorable sporting achievement Winning gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, QLD, Australia. (gc2018.com, 11 Apr 2018; abc.net.au, 12 Apr 2018)
Famous relatives Her partner and coach Uwe Hohn represented East Germany in javelin, and won gold at the 1982 European Championships in Athens, Greece. (thecourier.com.au, 21 May 2018; athletics.com.au, 22 May 2019; SportsDeskOnline, 20 Feb 2020; Facebook profile, 11 Dec 2020)
Awards and honours She was named 2018 Female Athlete of the Year by Athletics Australia. (athletics.com.au, 08 Apr 2019)

In 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2018 she was named Ballarat Sportswoman of the Year by The Sportsmen's Association of Australia in Victoria, Australia. (thecourier.com.au, 12 Mar 2020)
Other information MENTAL HEALTH
In 2018 she spoke openly about her struggles with depression and bulimia during her career, which she documented in diary entries. "In my [diary] writing, it got a lot worse. That's not a place I hang out anymore. I knew it would probably be surprising for people to hear but maybe as much as people are surprised, many can relate and perhaps find it inspiring. We see people in the public eye and we know mental health is a big issue but don't always realise the struggles behind it. Sometimes the individual stories are most powerful. I want people to know good things can still happen." (thecourier.com.au, 21 May 2018)
Further Personal Information
Family Partner Uwe Hohn