Czech spears javelin field

(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-08-21 08:30

Barbora Spotakova of the Czech Republic heads into the women's javelin today as the leading qualifier.

On her first and only throw, Spotakova launched the javelin 67.69 m, the sixth-longest throw ever, to secure a spot in today's final.

"Now I'm confident for the final," Spotakova, the 2007 world champion, told twincities.com. "I wanted to throw 63 or something. Just enough, and for sure (for the final)."

"I was a little nervous. My last competition wasn't that good," she said.

Christina Obergfoll of Germany came in second place with a throw of 67.52m, and her compatriot Steffi Nerius took third with 63.94m.

Cuban athlete Osleidys Menendez, world and Olympic record holder, narrowly scarped in to qualify in eleventh place with 60.51m.

China's Zhang Li, 2005 World Youth Champion, marked 61.77m to rank eighth to progress.

(China Daily 08/21/2008 page20)