Little Advances to Javelin Final

Mackenzie Little and Kathryn Mitchell progressed to the javelin final, while Peyton Craig was also comfortably through to the 800m semis. 

Stewart McSweyn has been added to the 5000m final after a fall in front of him. 

Five Australians will get another chance in the repechage rounds, including Michelle Jenneke who fell in her 100m hurdle heat. For seven athletes their Paris campaigns are sadly over. 

Little and Mitchell advance to javelin final

World Championship bronze medallist Mackenzie Little threw 62.82m on her second attempt to automatically progress to the final on Saturday. It was the fifth best throw across the two qualifying groups.

“It’s just a relief more than anything, with more expectations because of Budapest last year,” Mackenzie said.

“This is very different from Tokyo when I was just amazed, young and naive. I managed to throw well in qualifying there and I made it to the final and that was just like the best thing that could possibly ever happen.

“It’s pretty remarkable atmosphere here but that can add to the nerves if not ready. I’m sure all the top girls will be firing in the final.”

Australian record holder Kathryn Mitchell qualified with her second qualifying throw of 62.40m. The 42-year-old’s season best gets her through to her fourth consecutive Olympic final.

“That is just a huge relief to do it and sit out the three rounds and have to fight. So she (Mackenzie) was relieved. I was relieved. And it was really nice.

“So much anxiety, so much pressure, so difficult to just relax and let it go. But, you know, it’s my fourth time.”

Two-time world champion and Tokyo bronze medallist Kelsey-Lee Barber threw a season best in Group B, but 57.73m wasn’t enough to progress. 

“There’s a lot of emotion and I think it’s going to take some time to unpack it all, but I’m being really strong on myself to not let the inner critic come to the front door on this one.

“To have three Olympic experiences and for that one to honestly be walking away with the crowd and the atmosphere and the enjoyment of it all as one of my favourites, I’ll cherish that.

“I got a pretty significant injury to my elbow at the end of April, and that had a pretty intensive recovery period. I’ve had six weeks of throwing to today, and so everything was fast and accelerated and it was a build right to the end. But that was this year’s story, this year’s journey.”

Brandon Starc jumped a season best of 2.24m in the men’s high jump qualifying, yet agonisingly missed a place in the final on a countback. The two early misses at 2.15m and one miss at 2.20m and 2.24m left him placed 13th, with only 12 athletes to the final.

The Tokyo Olympic finalist was disappointed to miss the final.

Article courtesy of the AOC