Czech javelin thrower Barbora Spotakova retained her Olympic title Thursday, throwing more than four meters further than her closest rival.
Spotakova hurled her javelin 69.55 meters to take gold with a season best throw, although she failed to trouble her own world record of 72.28.
"I feel amazing. I am 31 years old, I have got so much experience and I am feeling healthy," she said.
On defending her title, Spotakova said: ""I didn't even dare to think about it in this competition. I didn't realise it but it will come tomorrow."
Silver went to Beijing bronze medalist Christina Obergfoll with a throw of 65.18 meters on her first attempt.
The German fouled all of her five other throws and was visibly frustrated.
"I wanted to throw a bit further. But it is a silver medal at the Olympic Games and here it is not about throwing far but about winning medals. I didn't expect it at all so I am just super happy," she said.
Bronze also went to Germany, with Linda Stahl throwing 64.91 meters, a season best.
"I still can't believe it," Stahl said.
"I think absolutely no one had put any money on me before the competition. I would have liked to throw a bit further as well but I kind of felt a bit tense already after the first throw."
Russia’s Maria Abakumova, the reigning world champion and Spotakova’s closest challenger at the last Olympics, had been tipped to challenge for gold but found herself eliminated halfway through the final after throwing just 59.34.
