Kelsey-Lee Barber becomes the first woman in HISTORY to defend her javelin title after gold medal throw at World Championships
- The Aussie threw her best effort in three years to claim the gold medal
- No other woman has won gold in the javelin at successive world championships
- She joins elite company including Sally Pearson and the great Cathy Freeman
Australia’s Kelsey-Lee Barber has entered the record books alongside names like Cathy Freeman. Jana Pittman and Sally Pearson with her historic gold medal javelin throw at the world championships in Eugene, Oregon.
She becomes the first woman in history to go back-to-back in the javelin throw at the championships with her best throw in three years of 66.91 metres securing the gold medal.
Barber becomes the third Australian medal winner at the world championships after high-jumper Eleanor Patterson claimed gold and Nina Kennedy won bronze in the pole vault.
Barber notched up the historic win on her third throw, matching her booming final throw at the Doha world championships three years ago that rocketed her from fourth to first at the death.
Clutch throws are becoming a hobby for the 30-year-old who overcame a slow start to her Tokyo Olympics campaign in 2021 to snatch the bronze medal late on the final day of competition.
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