TOKYO -- The form guide suggested Mackenzie Little was unlikely to seriously contend in the women's javelin at these world athletics championships. The Australian had arrived in Japan with a season-best mark of 61.96m and a global ranking of eighth, struggling throughout the year with both consistency and being able to replicate her podium-worthy form of previous successful campaigns.
Yet at the conclusion of competition on Saturday evening in Tokyo, the 28-year-old doctor from New South Wales -- who had recently just clocked a shift in the emergency ward at the Royal North Shore Hospital -- was prancing around the national stadium with a bronze medal hanging from her neck and her nation's flag draped over her shoulders, having gloriously repeated her effort from the world championships in Budapest two years ago. So much for form guides, huh?!
Little rocketed to the top of the leaderboard after throwing for 63.58m with her first-round attempt. It remained her best mark throughout the six-round competition, with only Juleisy Angulo of Ecuador, who threw a national record 65.12m in victory, and Anete Sietina of Latvia able to topple her effort to take the top two steps of the podium. Little's consistency also returned in the final, with four of her six throws landing beyond the 60m line.
"I couldn't be happier with the medal," said Little. "If you'd spoken to me two days ago, to say that I had a medal today, I'd be just thrilled."
During Friday evening's qualification phase, Little had hinted she may have rediscovered some of her devastating form. She required just one attempt to breeze into the medal round, launching a 65.54m dagger to obliterate her previous season-best mark. It was a throw that was more than 3m better than anything she had produced throughout the year. It also would have won gold in the final.
For Little, her bronze in Tokyo is sweet redemption for her Olympic heartbreak 12 months ago. She had entered the competition in Paris off the back of a second-place finish in Monaco and victory in London, the latter event where she produced her personal best mark of 66.27m. There was no trouble qualifying for the final, but the struggles kicked in during the decider, ultimately finishing 12th with a best throw of just 60.32m.
"After Paris it was really hard to maintain that sense of self-belief and maintain that motivation for training," said Little. "It took me months after Paris to really get back into it again. So this just helps so much."
Little's bronze medal continues Australia's love affair with this event, following back-to-back golds by Kelsey Lee-Barber in 2019 and 2022. It is also the nation's third medal won at these world championships in Tokyo. Pole vaulter Kurtis Marschall took bronze on night three, while middle-distance star Jess Hull also won bronze in the women's 1500m on night four.
Also on night eight in Tokyo, the Australian men's team of Cooper Sherman, Reece Holder, Aiden Murphy, and Thomas Reynolds thought they broke a 41-year-old national record with a run of 2:58.00 to qualify for the final of the 4x400m relay. However, footage later revealed Murphy had encroached over the blue line he needed to remain in front of when receiving the baton from Holder at the second changeover. The team was subsequently disqualified and failed to have its appeal overturned.
The Australian men were able to progress from the heats of the 4x100m relay. The squad of Connor Bond, Josh Azzopardi, Calab Law, and Rohan Browning ran fourth in a time of 38.21s, landing a spot in the final as one of the two best non-automatic qualifying teams. The women, however, failed to finish after a baton drop between Ella Connolly and Bree Rizzo at the first changeover, leaving Kristie Edwards and Torrie Lewis stranded at the other end of the track.
The penultimate night at the world championships also featured the women's 5000m final. Kenya's Beatrice Chebet prevailed over compatriot Faith Kipyegon in a classic race to complete her 5000m, 10000m double in Tokyo. For Kipyegon, she adds a silver medal to the gold she won earlier in the week in the 1500m. Australia's Rose Davies and Linden Hall finished the race 10th and 11th, respectively.
Earlier in the day, Spain's Maria Perez backed up her 35km race walk triumph with victory in the 20km distance. Brazil's Caio Bonfim won the men's 20km race walk, but it came with a price, the 34-year-old reportedly losing his wedding ring during the race.
Australia's Matt Denny also progressed to Sunday evening's discus final. He required just one throw to qualify, slinging 66.63m.
Here's how night eight at the world championships unfolded: