By Nick Butler

Paul Raison has qualified to compete in the discus at Glasgow 2014 ©Getty ImagesApril 3 - Long jumper Jodi Elkington and discus thrower Paul Raison have become the first Australian athletes to qualify for the Paralympic events at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. 


Competing at the Australian Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games Selection Trials at Lakeside Stadium in Melbourne, Raison finished in second place across the discus categories, but his mark of 44.45 metres was well beyond the required A-standard for his F42/44 discus category. 

Raison is best known as a shot putter and won a silver medal in the men's F44 event at Beijing 2008, as well as a 4x100m relay bronze medal.

But, with the shot put not on the Glasgow 2014 programme, he is focusing on the discus this time around.

Jodi Elkington competing over 400m during the London 2012 Paralympics ©Getty ImagesJodi Elkington on the way to a sixth place finish over 400m at the London 2012 Paralympics
©Getty Images


Long jumper Elkington meanwhile, jumped 4.19m to win the overall competition as well as the F37/38 cerebral palsy class in which she qualified for Glasgow.

That follows competing in sprinting events at the 2011 International Paralympic Committee Athletics World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand, as well as at London 2012.

"I'm so chuffed to be the first person nominated and it's a bit of an honour on top of an already great achievement," Elkington said.

"I'm stoked, but it is a bit of a relief if I am going to be honest because in my opinion of my performance I think I have a bit to work on still."

"Looking at the field before competing today I was quietly confident that I could beat many of the girls out there.

"You have to do it on the day though and I am glad that I did, it's a good confidence boost ahead of Glasgow."

Elsewhere on the first day of competition, arguably the performance of the day came in the opening event from Jayden Sawyer when he launched the javelin an impressive 42.58m to win his second national title.

Others to impress in their opening heats included 400m runners Steve Solomon, Craig Burns, Alex Beck and Caitlin Sargent as well as 800m performers Josh Ralph and Alex Rowe and 1500m runner Zoe Buckman.

There will be six Para-athletics event on the programme for Glasgow 2014 consisting of the T37 100m, T54 1,500m and the discus for men, and the T12 100m, T54 1,500m and long jump for women. 

The Australian Athletics Championships is continuing with more qualification opportunities up for grabs on the second day of competition tomorrow ahead of the final day on Sunday (April 6). 

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