Clutch last throw helps Winger become first American female athlete to make javelin podium at Worlds, with Australia’s Barber becoming only repeat women’s champ and Kitaguchi earning first medal in event for Japan in any global meet

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

For as many historic firsts as Kara Winger has accomplished in her athletic career, both on and off the javelin runway, she wasn’t about to be left out of the group that produced so many memorable achievements Friday night at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Ore.

Facing the last throw in a global final in her remarkable career after announcing she would be retiring following this season, the 36-year-old Winger fed off the energy of the Hayward Field crowd to elevate from fifth place into second with a mark of 210 feet, 1 inch (64.05m) and become the first American female athlete to medal in the event at the World Championships.

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Only moments earlier, Haruka Kitaguchi ascended from fifth place into medal contention with her sixth-round effort of 207-7 (63.27m), eventually earning bronze to become the first Japanese female competitor in any global championship to medal in the javelin.

And after all that drama unfolded, Kelsey-Lee Barber of Australia didn’t even need to take her final attempt, having already become the first female athlete to secure back-to-back javelin titles at the World Championships with a third-round performance of 219-6 (66.91m), the best throw globally this year.

“The atmosphere was electric and I used that. It is what got me the freedom to throw that 66.91m,” Barber said. “It’s something else and it’s going to take a little bit of time to sink in, because I’ve said a few times now that not many athletes go back to back and I’m just going to enjoy that moment, that’s really something special.”

Barber, 30, prevailed with a 218-4 (66.56m) effort in 2019 in Doha, where Winger placed in the top five at the World Championships for the first time in her career with a mark of 207-5 (63.23m).

But after entering the meet with a season-best 201-5 (61.40m) from July 3 in Canada and advancing to the final with a qualifying throw Wednesday of 201 feet (61.27m), Barber demonstrated her championship experience to become the fourth female athlete to secure a pair of World gold medals during her career.

“It’s always the goal to peak at the right moment,” Barber said. “This season has been a trial and error a little bit. Today was always the goal. I am quite pleased with the way I performed tonight. It feels like dreams come true. I always believed I have the capacity to go back to back. I am cementing my place as one of the world’s best javelin throwers and I want to keep building on that.”

Winger has been one of the sport’s most significant ambassadors throughout her career, including nine U.S. titles and six World Championship appearances, in addition to carrying the American flag during the closing ceremonies of the Tokyo Olympics.

But during the same meet where friend and fellow 36-year-old U.S. teammate Allyson Felix captured her record 19th career World Championships medal with a bronze in the mixed 4x400-meter relay, Winger finally got the opportunity to stand on the podium for the first time at a global competition.

“I have dreamed about these championships for a long time,” Winger said. “My inspiration for retirement at Hayward Field was Steffi Nerius of Germany winning the 2009 Berlin World Championships the year she announced her retirement, so knowing I was going to have a home crowd, I thought, ‘What better way to go out than maybe grabbing a medal at my home field?’”

Winger had punctuated her ninth U.S. crown June 25 with a sixth-round throw of 210-10 (64.26m) at Hayward Field, giving her the belief she could summon another special performance Friday with the crowd behind her following each and every step on the runway.

“Having the USA national championships here at Hayward on the same runway and having my last throw be my best one, that very recent memory was really helpful to be confident in the last round,” Winger said. “I knew the podium was absolutely achievable and it’s my absolute last opportunity to grab a medal. I’ve thrown here a million times and I’ve had almost every experience you can have and more in this stadium, so why not go out with a bang and be confident all the way one time.”

Mackenzie Little of Australia, a former two-time NCAA Division 1 champion at Stanford including 2018 at Hayward Field, put the entire competition under pressure with a personal-best 207-5 (63.22m) mark on her opening-round attempt.

Shiying Liu, the reigning Olympic gold medalist from China, eventually found a rhythm on her fourth attempt with a 207-6 (63.25m) throw, setting the stage for a thrilling final two rounds.

Winger built momentum with a fifth-round effort of 203-11 (62.17m) to temporarily move into fourth place, only to be knocked back into fifth when Kitaguchi, 24, delivered the first clutch throw on her final attempt.

“My goal was to get to the top eight in the final. I did not think about the medal before, but during the competition, I started to think about it,” Kitaguchi said. “There was a bit of stress and pressure but my coach told me to relax and calm down like this was a normal competition. In the end, it was a medal and I am very glad for it.”

Not to be outdone, Winger channeled the experience of watching her friend Nerius triumph on home soil to rise to the occasion once more, producing an incredible reaction from the Hayward Field crowd when they saw the sixth-round mark appear on the scoreboard.

“I was just listening to the crowd. I cannot see where it lands and I know it felt pretty good, but I’m not totally sure. To hear their roars was perfect. I relied on them for some energy on the runway and I relied on them to let me know I made the podium,” Winger said. “Everyone wanted to celebrate early, but I’m like, ‘We gotta chill and we gotta see what happens.’ I was shaking the whole time when those last two women were taking their attempts.”

When Liu and Little both fouled their final throws to make the podium athletes official, Barber and Winger sprinted toward one another to embrace, before both women hugged an emotional Kitaguchi in celebration of the history they shared together.

“This is more than I could have ever imagined. You know, I imagined it, but it was better than I could have ever imagined,” Winger said. “Again, I just love the women of the javelin, nationally and internationally, and I’ll keep trying to do my best to make us all better.”

Winger also celebrated another significant achievement, with her silver assuring that the American women would earn a medal in every throwing event for the first time at the World Championships.

Chase Ealey triumphed in the shot put, Brooke Andersen and Janee’ Kassanavoid secured gold and bronze in the hammer throw, and Valarie Allman captured bronze in the discus throw, before Winger did her part Friday to increase the podium presence of the U.S. female throwers.

“I know that Chase went home, and Brooke and Janee’ went home already, but I got to see Val on the back stretch at the corner and I knew coming in that every other women’s throws had medaled, so it was absolutely on my mind,” Winger said. “They are incredible athletes and incredible women and people I absolutely look up to, so to be a part of that group is extremely special. I remember in Beijing 2015 World Championships, two women made the final in every throwing event, and I think (Michelle Carter) medaled (earning bronze) and no one else did.

“To be here still and to be a part of this group of women’s throwers is extremely special. I love elevating the women’s javelin in the U.S., but to be a part of elevating all of the women’s throws is incredibly cool.”

Winger also appreciated being able to experience the magnitude of several career achievements so close to where her career started at Skyview High in Vancouver, Wash., and doing so with her husband and technical coach Russ Winger and strength coach Jamie Myers being present in the bleachers at the West end of the stadium.

“I’ve had my eye on Hayward for a really long time and I knew I could do it and I did it,” Winger said. “I grew up two hours north and I loved the crowd today, they were phenomenal. I had to slow their clap down just a little bit, but it worked for me every single time. It was amazing, amazing, amazing and I can’t believe it.”

And to be able to announce retirement and determine the schedule for her final season was also quite meaningful for Winger, especially after rehabilitation following a second career ACL surgery in 2020, in addition to overcoming a previous shoulder surgery, along with back spasms and calf cramps throughout her athletic journey.

Although she competed in her last global final Friday, Winger is still planning to throw at multiple meets in Europe, as well as at the NACAC Championships in August in the Bahamas before she officially retires.

“I don’t think you get that last season magic back. People keep saying there’s only two more years until the Olympics, but it truly is that sense of urgency and for me that has been super helpful and knowing when it’s going to be that final straw,” Winger said. “Getting to choose when to walk away is extremely special, because when I tore it for a second time, I didn’t know if I was going to have a choice, so yes, last season magic. You literally have to put it all on the line because you don’t have any more chances and that’s been helpful for me knowing it’s coming and it was even more helpful knowing it was the absolute last opportunity (in a World final).”

Despite Winger’s eventual retirement, Kitaguchi and Barber remain motivated to contend for more medals again at the World Championships next year in Hungary.

“I made the history. Now, it is a bronze medal but it is not over,” Kitaguchi said. “Now, I am starting to work harder and harder to win gold next time.”

Although Barber still has her sights on winning gold at the Commonwealth Games in August in Birmingham, England, she didn’t shy away from expressing her desire to become the first javelin thrower in either gender to capture three consecutive World titles next year in Budapest.

“Why not? Let’s put it out there,” Barber said. “I’m going to be back on the podium again. I love this environment. I love these competitions. It’s like my own personal drug and I’ll keep coming back for more.”