Australia’s Kelsey-Lee Barber wins javelin gold at world athletics champs

Australia’s Kelsey-Lee Barber has made history as she successfully defended her javelin title at the world athletics championships.

Australia's Kelsey-Lee Barber celebrates with her medal after winning the women's javelin throw final during the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon on July 22, 2022. (Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP)

Australia’s Kelsey-Lee Barber has won gold in the women’s javelin to successfully defend her title at the world athletics championship in Oregon, USA.

Barber produced a stunning season-best throw of 66.91m to take first place in the final, nearly two metres ahead of second place.

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The 30-year-old has made athletics history, becoming the first woman to defend the javelin world title.

Barber joins Cathy Freeman (400m), Jana Pittmann (400m hurdles) and Sally Pearson (100m hurdles) as the only Australians to win multiple gold medals at the world athletics championships.

At one stage, Australia occupied the top two places when fellow Australian Mackenzie Little threw a personal best (63.22m) to move into the silver medal position.

But the fairytale 1-2 finish wasn’t to be as the USA’s Kara Winger and Japan’s Haruka Kitaguchi overtook Little on their final attempts to take silver and bronze. Little finished in fifth place.

That feeling when you’re world champion. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Australia's Kelsey-Lee Barber after winning javelin gold at the World Athletics Championships. (Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP)

🥇GOLD for @AthsAust in the javelin.

Kelsey-Lee Barber defends her world title with 66.91.

And an wonderful performance from Mackenzie Little with PB 63.22 pipped into 5th in final round.

A stunning return from the Australia women in the field events at #WorldAthleticsChamps

— QUENTIN HULL (@QuentinHull) July 23, 2022

Kelsey-Lee Barber becomes the first woman to win 🥇 in javelin throw at back to back World Championships. Does it with the best throw in the world this year.#WorldAthleticsChamps#WCHOregon

— Mohit Shah (@mohit_shah17) July 23, 2022

Kelsey-Lee Barber just defended her women's Javelin World Championship 🥇 GOLD medal. First woman to ever achieve that feat. Incredible final throw.

— Mark Gottlieb (@MarkGottlieb) July 23, 2022

Australia now has a second gold medal at the world champs, Kelsey-Lee Barber defending her title in the women's javelin. Huge! https://t.co/xyoD4ziczM

— Kieran Pender (@KieranPender) July 23, 2022

Coming off bronze at the Tokyo Olympics last year, Barber’s huge third throw was so dominant she didn’t even need to register a final attempt.

It is Australia’s second gold medal of the world athletics championships and continues a sensational campaign by Australia’s female athletes, particularly in the field events.

Earlier this week, Nina Kennedy won bronze in the pole vault and Eleanor Patterson rediscovered her best form to claim gold in the high jump.

Australia’s best result at a world championships came in 2009 — with two gold and two bronze medals.

Peter Bol runs in the 800m final on Sunday, while Tokyo bronze medallist Ash Moloney is also rated a good medal chance in the decathlon.

Kelsey-Lee Barber unleashes a javelin throw at the World Athletics Championships. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)