Holly Robinson (athlete)


Holly Robinson is a New Zealand para-athlete, primarily competing in the javelin throw. She represented New Zealand at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London and the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro. At the 2016 Games, she was New Zealand's flagbearer for the opening ceremony, and won the silver medal in the women's javelin throw F46.
At the 2018 Commonwealth Games she won the silver medal in the same event.

Early history

Robinson was born in Hokitika, on the South Island's West Coast, and is of Ngāi Tahu descent. She has a twin brother, Jonathon, and her father Steve represented the West Coast in Heartland Championship rugby. Robinson has a congenital limb reduction with her left arm ending below the elbow. She attended Westland High School and later Taieri College after moving to Dunedin.

Sporting career

Robinson started competing in para-athletics at age 12. She is classified F46 for field events and T47 for track events and long jump. Robinson's first major international competition was the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand, achieving a fifth-place ranking in the women's javelin throw F46 and a seventh-place ranking in the women's shot put F42-44/46. She was selected to represent New Zealand at the 2012 Summer Paralympics, the sole female athletics competitor selected. She finishing seventh in the women's javelin F46, with a 32.58 m throw. Robinson won her first international competition medal at the 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships, earning a silver medal with a 34.37 m throw.
At the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships, Robinson earned a bronze medal with a 38.18 m throw. At the 2016 Australian Athletics Championships she set a New Zealand national record with a throw of 40.81 m, ranking her number one in the world for the javelin F46 during the Paralympic qualifying period and earning her a slot at the 2016 Paralympics Games. She was officially confirmed to represent New Zealand at the Paralympics on 23 May 2016.
At the 2016 Summer Paralympics, Robinson won the silver medal in the women's javelin throw F46, behind Great Britain's Hollie Arnold, with a personal best throw of 41.22 m.
At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Robinson won the silver medal in the women Para Javelin, behind Great Britain's Hollie Arnold, with a personal best throw of 43.32m.

Statistics

Personal bests

Javelin throw progression

YearPerformanceCompetitionLocationDateWorld
ranking
201130.61 mMelbourne, Australia16 April7
201232.58 mSummer ParalympicsLondon, United Kingdom1 September7
201334.37 mIPC Athletics World ChampionshipsLyon, France22 July3
201435.58 mBeijing, China16 April2
201538.18 mIPC Athletics World ChampionshipsDoha, Qatar31 October4
201641.22 mSummer ParalympicsRio de Janeiro, Brazil13 September2
201742.68 mOtago ChampionshipsDunedin, New Zealand26 February