The 23-year-old heptathlete will start her journey to next year’s World Championships in Beijing on home turf at the 2015 Hunter Track Classic.

The event, which was launched at Glendale’s Hunter Sports Centre yesterday, will be held at the same venue on January 31 when Stanwell kick-starts her latest campaign and returns to the track for the first time since her Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow earlier this year.

“The pinnacle of the 2015 season for all track and field athletes will be the World Championships, which will be held in Beijing in August,” Stanwell told the Mercury yesterday.

“The Hunter Track Classic is the first time you can really test yourself to see where you’re at.

“Then you can make adjustments to your training program once you’ve had that first hit out.

“You can see where you’re sitting, if you need to change things or go in a different direction to make sure you hit times and make teams later in the year.”

This goal follows a startling maiden appearance at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow where Stanwell ­finished fourth with a personal best score of 5754, including career-best marks in the 800 metres (2:14.28), 100m hurdles (14.18s), shot put (11.96m) and javelin (36.77m).

“I probably did something that most athletes shouldn’t do before they go and compete, but I went and looked where I sat in the start list, where I was ranked,” she said.

“I was about eighth, so I wasn’t ­expecting to come fourth or even come close to a medal.

“But towards the end of the heptathlon, when I did get up the ranks into fourth after the fifth event, it was then I first ­started to believe I really could win a medal.”

Stanwell said the memories of Hampden Park remained prominent and it was hard to believe it was five months ago.

“It’s still so fresh in my mind,” she said.

“I still remember being out there and all the little things that went on.

“It was the first time that I had ever been in a stadium of that capacity, ­especially a full stadium. 

“It was packed out every day of competition – 40,000 people.

“When I first got out there it was very scary. I didn’t really know how to react to the crowd when they were being really noisy after a Scottish athlete would step onto the track.

“I eventually settled into it and towards the end of the heptahlon I was looking around thinking ‘wow I’m at the Commonwealth Games’ and seeing the sign that said Glasgow 2014.

“It was just surreal.”

Next month Stanwell will be a little closer to home when the Hunter Track Classic rolls around.

“I always look forward to the Hunter Track Classic because it is the only time I really get to compete at home all year,” she said.

“All my friends and family usually come out to watch, so it’s a real happy way to start the season.”

Stanwell said the Hunter Track Classic was one of the most important events on the Australian Athletics Tour.

“As we know regional towns, we just don’t get the amount of elite athletes or elite sports coming through and kids being able to see elite sports that aren’t rugby league,” she said.

“So to have smaller sports having a big event in a regional town is quite important.”