Medal hero's gutsy comeback from oblivion

Australia's Kelsey-Lee Barber was successful tears aft claiming a bronze medal successful the women's javelin astatine the Tokyo Olympics, capping a singular comeback for the 2019 satellite champion.

Barber threw a season-best 64.56m, conscionable 5 centimetres abbreviated of the metallic medallist, Maria Andrejczyk of Poland, who threw 64.61m.

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China's Liu Shiying won gold, taking the pb with her archetypal propulsion of 66.34m, a people that wasn't beaten passim the remainder of the competition.

Barber broke down instantly aft clinching the bronze, hugging her hubby and coach, Mike.

Australia's Kelsey-Lee Barber has won the bronze medal successful the javelin astatine the Tokyo Olympics. (Getty)

Making her accomplishment each the much special, Barber has struggled with a lawsuit of the 'yips' each season, wherever throwing the javelin immoderate benignant of competitory region appeared conscionable astir impossible.

"There were moments this twelvemonth wherever Mike and I were sitting and I was crying," Barber said.

"I wasn't definite if I was going to marque it here, fto unsocial deliberation I was going to medal … I didn't privation to springiness it up and I didn't privation to halt warring for it."

Barber came truthful adjacent to being eliminated successful the qualifying rounds, lone making it done to the last with her past throw. She said afterwards that her mentation had been awful, some mentally and physically.

"This twelvemonth has challenged maine successful truthful galore ways, I worked hard for it and we recovered a way," she said.

"Tonight it was astir the win, I wanted the golden medal, I wanted to locomotion distant an Olympic champion.

Kelsey-Lee Barber. (Getty)

"It was similar each propulsion was my past throw, due to the fact that I cognize I tin bash thing special.

"I'm conscionable truthful arrogant of what I achieved tonight."

Barber came agonisingly adjacent to stealing the metallic with her last throw, improving from 64.04m to 64.56m.

All 3 Australians made it done to the past eight, the archetypal clip that's happened successful either the men's oregon women's javelin.

Apart from Barber, Kathryn Mitchell finished sixth with a propulsion of 61.82m, portion Mackenzie Little was eighth with a region of 59.96m.

Kelsey-Lee Barber. (Getty)

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