Mackenzie Little knocked out early in the women’s javelin final at the Paris Olympics

Javelin thrower Mackenzie Little says there are no excuses for her disappointing Olympic performance and insists that her early exit has lit a fire that will ensure she returns a better athlete.

Javelin thrower Mackenzie Little says there are no excuses for her disappointing Olympic performance and insists that her early exit has lit a fire that will ensure she returns a better athlete.

Little, the world No.2, went into the javelin final among the favourites to win gold but failed to make the cut when the field was reduced after three throws, unceremoniously ending her Olympic campaign.

“I just thought the whole time that I could do it,” Little said.

“There was no reason that I couldn’t. And so I think that just makes it harder. Like there’s no excuses….. which is a hard pill to swallow.

“I’ve got some more in me. It’s lighting a fire for sure.”

Mackenzie Little failed to live up to expectation in the javelin. Picture: Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Little needed a throw of 61.86m with her third attempt to keep her competition alive. Given her personal best was 66.27m, which she set earlier this year, it wasn’t exactly out of the realms of possibility.

She had also developed a reputation as a clutch performer, having produced a stunning final throw to win a bronze medal at last year’s world titles in Budapest.

There was no great escape in Paris, however, as her medal hopes evaporated in tears. Compatriot Kathryn Mitchell fared better, finishing seventh as Japan’s Haruka Kitaguchi (65.80m) won the gold with her very first throw of the final from South Africa’s Jo-Ane van Dyke (63.93m) in second.

NORWEGIAN’S FINAL REVENGE

Bitterly disappointed by the shock of failing to defend his Olympic 1500m crown, Jakob Ingebrigtsen went to Stade de France looking for revenge.

He delivered that with gold in 5000m. It was a gutsy and tactically brilliant race by the Norwegian two-time 5000m world champion.

Ingebrigtsen played it safe for most of the race. He was in second place at the bell and finally took the lead with 200m to go and couldn’t be beaten.

Jakob Ingebrigsten wins the 5000m. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

As he crossed the line in 13min 13.66sec, the 23-year-old raised a solitary finger in triumph. He said it was a tough race and he felt he went out too fast.

“I opened with a 54sec lap,” he said. “That wasn’t the plan at all. It was at least two seconds too fast. I was thinking about slowing down, but the next lap was almost the same speed.

“I felt strong and I have had a good progression with races this year. I didn’t realise what pace it was. It was not the plan to open that hard.”

The Norwegian beat Ronald Kwemoi of Kenya by 2sec. Australia’s Stewart McSweyn ran 13:31.38 to finish 18th in the final.

KIWI TAKES HIGH JUMP GOLD

Three years ago, the high jump gold was shared on an historic night in Tokyo. Remarkably, history almost repeated in Paris. New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr and American Shelby McEwen couldn’t be separated after both cleared 2.36m and a short discussion ensured. This time, they decided to have a jump-off for the gold.

Hamish Kerr after winning the high jump. Picture: Michael Steele/Getty Images

So off they went. They jumped at 2.38m and both missed. The bar was lowered to 2.36m and both missed again. So it was down to 2.34m and Kerr prevailed. The Kiwis had a gold medal and McEwen the silver.

A year ago, Kerr failed to make the 2023 world championship final when he couldn’t even clear 2.25m. Since then, the Kiwi has had an amazing ascent.

“I was just in shock,” Kerr said.