Julia Ratcliffe

Julia Ratcliffe (born 14 July 1993) is a retired New Zealand track and field athlete who specialised in the hammer throw. She won the gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast, having won the silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.[3]

For the British structural engineer, see Julia Ratcliffe (engineer).

Julia Ratcliffe
Julia Ratcliffe with 2018 Commonwealth Games Gold medal
Personal information
NationalityNew Zealand
Born (1993-07-14) 14 July 1993
Hamilton, New Zealand
EducationPrinceton University[1]
Height1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)[2]
Weight80 kg (176 lb)
Sport
Country New Zealand
SportTrack and field athletics
Event(s)Hammer throw
College teamPrinceton Tigers
ClubHamilton City Hawks
Coached byDave Ratcliffe
Medal record
Track and field
Representing  New Zealand
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place2018 Gold CoastHammer Throw
Silver medal – second place2014 GlasgowHammer Throw
Silver medal – second place2022 BirminghamHammer Throw
Oceania Championships
Gold medal – first place2019 TownsvilleHammer Throw
World University Games
Bronze medal – third place2015 GwangjuHammer Throw
Oceania Youth Championships
Gold medal – first place2010 Sydney Hammer Throw
Australian Youth Olympic Festival
Gold medal – first place2009 SydneyHammer Throw

Personal life

Ratcliffe was born in Hamilton to Dave and Sue Ratcliffe, and has one older sister, Sarah.[4][5] She attended Waikato Diocesan School for Girls, where she was head girl and dux in her final year.[5][6] In her youth, she participated in various sports including hockey, netball, and hurdling.[7]

Ratcliffe attended Princeton University in New Jersey, United States. She graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts, with a major in economics and a certificate in political economy.[4] As of April 2020, she works as an economic analyst for the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.[8][9]

Career

Ratcliffe began participating in hammer throw at age 12.[6]

In 2014, Ratcliffe won the NCAA hammer throw title, becoming Princeton University's first female track and field NCAA champion.[10]

Ratcliffe held the New Zealand national record in the hammer throw from July 2012 until September 2020.[11] She reclaimed the national title in March 2021, setting a new national record of 73.55 metres at the New Zealand Track and Field Championships.[12]

In April 2021, Ratcliffe was selected to compete at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.[13]

Ratcliffe announced her retirement on 13 January 2023.[14]

Statistics

Annual progression
Year Performance Competition Location Date
2008 48.05 m Battle of the Cities 4 North Shore, New Zealand 29 November
2009 55.64 m Mini-Hot Meet North Shore, New Zealand 6 June
2010 61.32 m Open meeting Hamilton, New Zealand 4 December
2011 62.28 m Porritt Classic Hamilton, New Zealand 19 February
2012 67.00 m World Junior Championships Barcelona, Spain 14 July
2013 68.80 m NR Larry Ellis Invitational Princeton, United States 19 April
2014 70.28 m NR Larry Ellis Invitational Princeton, United States 19 April
2015 68.53 m ECAC Princeton, United States 16 May
2016 70.75 m NR Southern League London, United Kingdom 9 July
2017 70.35 m NY Hammer Series #7 Princeton, United States 16 July
2018 69.94 m Commonwealth Games Gold Coast, Australia 10 April
2019 71.39 m AR Oceania Championships Townsville, Australia 28 June
2020 72.35 m AR Porritt Classic Hamilton, New Zealand 15 February
2021 73.55 m AR New Zealand National Championships Hastings, New Zealand 26 March

Source: Athletics New Zealand Records & Rankings[15]

International results
YearEventLocationPlace
2008Pacific School GamesCanberra1st[16]
2009Australian Youth Olympic FestivalSydney1st[17]
2009IAAF World Youth ChampionshipsBrixen10th[18]
2010Oceania Youth ChampionshipsSydney1st[19]
2010Youth Olympic GamesSingapore11th[20]
2012Bauhaus Junioren-GalaMannheim1st[21]
2012IAAF World Junior ChampionshipsBarcelona4th[22]
2013World University GamesKazan8th[23]
2014Commonwealth GamesGlasgow2nd[3]
2015World University GamesGwangju3rd[24]
2017IAAF World ChampionshipsLondon26th[25]
2017World University GamesTaipei11th[26]
2018Commonwealth GamesGold Coast1st[27]
2019Oceania Championships in AthleticsTownsville1st[28]
2019IAAF World Athletics ChampionshipsDoha14th[29]
2021Summer OlympicsTokyo9th[30]
2022World Athletics ChampionshipsEugene16th[31]
2022Commonwealth GamesBirmingham2nd[32]

References
  1. College team bio
  2. 2017 Universiade bio
  3. Leggat, David (29 July 2014). "Commonwealth Games: Silver in shot put and hammer throw". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  4. Drysdale, Juliette (30 May 2018). "Golden hammer thrower banking on a bright future". Newsroom. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  5. Geenty, Mark (26 April 2014). "Brainy Ratcliffe hammers home her potential". Stuff. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  6. "Commonwealth Games: Little-known hammer thrower ready to step up for NZ". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  7. "Hammer thrower Julia Ratcliffe's journey to Commonwealth Games gold paved by supportive dad". TVNZ. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  8. "Julia Ratcliffe: Hammer thrower helping the Reserve Bank". RNZ. 14 April 2020. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  9. "Julia Ratcliffe – Reserve Bank of New Zealand". Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  10. "Jennings: Julia Ratcliffe wins hammer title at NCAAs". ESPN.com. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  11. "Ratcliffe Sets New Area Record at Porritt Classic". OA. 17 February 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  12. "Hammer thrower Julia Ratcliffe smashes New Zealand record to qualify for Tokyo Olympics". Stuff. 26 March 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  13. "Tokyo Olympics: 15 athletes named in conditional New Zealand athletics team for 2021 Games". New Zealand Herald. 16 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  14. nzherald.co.nz (13 January 2023). "Athletics: Three-time Commonwealth Games medallist Julia Ratcliffe calls time on hammer throw career". Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  15. "Athletics New Zealand Rankings and Records". www.anzrankings.org.nz. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  16. "2008 Pacific School Games Track & Field Results". Pacific School Games. 3 December 2008. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  17. "Julia Ratcliffe sets NZ W16 Hammer Record and Weekly Roundup". Athletics New Zealand. 19 January 2009. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  18. "6th IAAF World Youth Championships – Women – Hammer Throw – Final". IAAF. 14 July 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  19. "Oceania Under 18 Championships". Oceania Athletics. 14 March 2010. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  20. "Singapore and the First Youth Olympics". Athletics New Zealand. 14 October 2010. Archived from the original on 13 April 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
  21. "Bauhaus Junioren Gala 2012 in Mannheim". Leichtathletik. 23 June 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  22. "14th IAAF World Junior Championships – Women – Hammer Throw – Final Results". IAAF. 14 July 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  23. "Women's Hammer Throw Final". FISU. 10 July 2013. Archived from the original on 7 July 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  24. "Women's Hammer Throw Final". FISU. 11 July 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  25. "Hammer Throw Women – Qualification Summary".
  26. "2017 World University Games". Athletics New Zealand.
  27. "Athletes:Athletics Profile".
  28. "PARNOVA AND RATCLIFFE HIGHLIGHT FINAL DAY OF OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS".
  29. "Hammer Throw Women – Qualification Summary".
  30. "Julia Ratcliffe | New Zealand Olympic Team". Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  31. "Hammer Throw Women – Qualification Summary".
  32. "Athletics:Womens Hammer Throw Final".
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