Barber has chance to secure status as Australian great with victory at Commonwealth Games

They're greats of Australian athletics; world champions, Olympic champions, Commonwealth Games champions.

It's a group Rob de Castella has declared Kelsey-Lee Barber a member of, the Canberra talent a two-time world champion, Olympic bronze medalist and on the cusp of a Commonwealth Games gold medal.

Barber will throw for glory on Sunday night, having overcome a bout of COVID to take her place in the women's javelin event in Birmingham.

Even without a Commonwealth Games gold medal, she has achieved feats few Australians have.

This weekend, de Castella feels, will provide the chance to solidify her place as one of the legends of the sport.

"Kelsey-Lee is right up there with the greats," de Castella said. "The field events don't get the same recognition and profile as the track or marathon events.

"From an athletic perspective, she's right up there. It emphasises what a great big event performer she is.

"Some athletes struggle with pressure, others thrive on it. She's one who puts herself under pressure, then rises to the occasion. That's what being a competitor is all about."

It's been a whirlwind fortnight since Barber won her second world title in Oregon, the athlete celebrating her historic victory before turning her focus to her other primary target for this season.

The Commonwealth Games preparations were thrown off course when she contracted COVID upon arriving in the UK.

Much of the last week has been spent in isolation, however Barber wasn't going to miss out on a chance to add to the bronze won in 2014 and silver won in 2018.

In a silver lining from the situation, it has enabled the 30-year-old to complete a thorough review of her performance at the World Championships and establish what needs to be done to replicate that effort.

"It's an important process to take time to reflect on past championships and dig deep into what worked," Barber said. "It's more important to dig into what didn't work and reflect on that, what lessons are to be learnt.

"Then it's about putting that into practice. Mike (husband and coach) and I do a good job at doing that."

In achieving success at numerous international competitions, Barber has developed a reputation for delivering in the big moments.

The athlete secured gold at the 2019 World Championships with her final throw, while she overcame a patchy lead in to last year's Tokyo Olympics to climb into the bronze medal position with her last throw.

The victory in Oregon was less tense, Barber wrapping up the win with a monster third throw of 66.91m. While each event was different, the athlete will carry the lessons from the performances into this weekend.

"I'm not sure if I'll ever be too prepared for the moment of winning, but I take the experience of the last few years into competition with me. I'm a better athlete for them," she said.

"I'm more prepared for how to go about competition itself, what to expect, how to use the environment to my advantage, how to set myself up to throw big."

While Barber is the favourite, gold is no guarantee. In 2018 she finished behind teammate Kathryn Mitchell and this year another Australian is shaping as her biggest rival.

Emerging talent Mackenzie Little has shown she belongs on the world stage at both the Olympics and World Championships, eventually finishing fifth in Oregon.

While Barber's best should be enough, Little is in form and has been nipping on her rival's heels in recent years.

It's a challenge that fuels Barber, the veteran eager to mentor the next generation.

"We're able to come to championships and have success, that shows the girls of the future that it is possible and to dream big," she said.

"I hope I have that positive impact on the next generation. It's one of the things I'd like to walk away and say I've been a role model, that I inspired some girls to participate, even if it's not at the elite level."