Women Javelin Throw Athletics Olympic Games 2008 Beijing (CHN) - Saturday 23.08
Final 21.08 19:20
Team
Dist.
Q.
SO
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
1. Barbora Spotakova
CZE
71.42m
1.
11
69.22
67.04
X
64.92
X
71.42
2. Christina Obergfoll
GER
66.13m
2.
4
66.13
X
63.34
X
X
X
3. Goldie Sayers
GBR
65.75m
5.
10
65.75
59.40
62.92
59.72
65.03
56.83
4. Steffi Nerius
GER
65.29m
3.
8
64.05
62.25
59.97
X
X
65.29
5. Osleidys Menendez
CUB
63.35m
11.
12
63.35
X
X
X
X
X
6. Barbara Madejczyk
POL
62.02m
6.
1
58.74
59.16
58.67
X
58.21
62.02
7. Katharina Molitor
GER
59.64m
9.
3
53.19
57.37
59.64
58.81
56.72
57.00
8. Mercedes Chilla
ESP
58.13m
7.
9
X
57.94
58.13
9. Li Zhang
CHN
56.14m
8.
2
54.69
X
56.14
10.Sinta Ozolina
LAT
53.38m
12.
6
50.67
53.38
52.23
11.Felicea Moldovan-Tilea
ROU
53.04m
10.
7
53.04
X
52.80
-. Maria Abakumova
RUS
70.78m
4.
5
69.32
69.08
X
70.78
X
67.52
Špotáková, the World Champion and favourite, had led the qualifiers
with 67.69. Her competitive abilities were tested early in the final when
Abakumova produced a Russian record of 69.32. Špotáková immedi-
ately responded with an excellent 69.22. Obergföll and Sayers both
produced their best throws in round one, and the bronze medal was set-
tled in favour of the German.
Abakumova backed up her opening throw with 69.04 in the second
round, and in round 4 moved to number three on the all-time list with
a European record of 70.78. No-one had ever thrown that far without
winning, but Špotáková, who had begun her international career eight
years earlier as a junior heptathlete, showed great poise and concentra-
tion in producing her own national record of 71.42 in the final round to
win the best throwing competition of the 2008 Olympics.