IF YOU LIKE late drama, the women’s shot was the event for you.
New Zealand’s Maddi Wesche — Paris silver medalist — took the lead in the first round by equaling her PR 65-9¾ (20.06), and through round 5, no one seemed capable of challenging her. The only hope seemed to be Canada’s Sarah Mitton, the indoor world champion, who was holding 2nd with four throws between 64-9¾ (19.75) and 65-0 (19.81).
The Netherlands’ Jessica Schilder changed that in the last round. She was muddling along in 5th when she suddenly boomed out to 66-7 (20.29) to snatch the lead. Defending champion Chase Jackson then jumped ahead of Wesche as well, finally finding her form at 66-3¾ (20.21) to take silver. Wesche fouled and settled for bronze, while Mitton was left with no medal. American Jaida Ross placed 8th with 62-4½ (19.01).
“I still cannot believe it has happened,” Schilder, the bronze medalist in ’22, said. “Not because I was not prepared, but I became ill last week. I had a fever for three days. That is why my confidence was lower and I didn’t think it was possible anymore to get a medal here. But my coach said that nothing is impossible and I believed him 100%.
“Even after not such a good start to the final I said that I’m going to try until the end. And it worked. Being in 5th position before the last round I thought, ‘No, I don’t want to meddle with this. I have to end the season on a high note.’ I wanted a World Championships medal so badly and I had to do it. You don’t have a chance like this very often.”
“I struggled a bit having [qualifying round] and the final today,” said Jackson. “Still, I am happy to produce my best in the last round. That felt really good because I usually never manage to do that. It was one of the hardest days of my life.
“After the [Q round], I was a bit messy, so I tried to use my roller [to loosen up], but we had just six hours before the final and I had to keep moving. I am really happy to win silver. This is the medal I’ve had to work on the hardest. I am always coming out to win. I was crying but those were tears of joy.”
WOMEN’S SHOT RESULTS
FINAL (September 20)
1. Jessica Schilder (Neth) 66-7 (20.29)
(59-9¾, 61-3½, 63-1½, 64-¼, 61-6¾, 66-7) (18.23, 18.68, 19.24, 19.51, 18.76, 20.29);
2. Chase Jackson (US) 66-3¾ (20.21)
(64-1¾, f, 63-9, 64-6½, f, 66-3¾) (19.55, f, 19.43, 19.67, f, 20.21);
3. Maddi Wesche (NZ) 65-9¾ (20.06) =PR (65-9¾, f, 65-3½, f, 61-11, f) (20.06, f, 19.90, f, 18.87, f);
4. Sarah Mitton (Can) 65-0 (19.81)
(64-10, 62-11¼, 65-0, 64-9¾, 64-11½, 64-4½) (19.76, 19.18, 19.81, 19.75, 19.80, 19.62);
5. Fanny Roos (Swe) 64-1¼ (19.54)
(63-5, 62-6¾, 62-3¾, 62-½, 61-9½, 64-1¼) (19.33, 19.07, 18.99, 18.91, 18.83, 19.54);
6. Yemisi Ogunleye (Ger) 63-5 (19.33)
(63-5, f, f, 61-1¼, 61-5½, 61-11¾) (19.33, f, f, 18.62, 18.73, 18.89);
7. Linru Zhang (Chn) 62-10½ (19.16)
(58-8, 62-1¾, 62-1¾, 62-10½, 62-9¼) (17.88, 18.94, 18.94, 19.16, 19.13);
8. Jaida Ross (US) 62-4½ (19.01)
(62-4½, f, 60-2, 60-3, 57-7½) (19.01, f, 18.34, 18.36, 17.56);
9. Lijiao Gong (Chn) 62-2½ (18.96)
(58-1, 62-2½, 60-8, f) (17.70, 18.96, 18.49, f);
10. Alina Kenzel (Ger) 60-5¼ (18.42)
(59-4, 60-2, 60-5¼, f) (18.08, 18.34, 18.42, f);
11. Katharina Maisch (Ger) 59-9 (18.21)
(f, 59-9, f) (f, 18.21, f);
12. Sara Lennman (Swe) 58-4 (17.78)
(58-4, f, f) (17.78, f, f).
| * = progression of the leading throw; ¶ = athlete’s best of the day | |||
| first 3 rounds | |||
| Jackson | 19.55* | f | 19.43 |
| Mitton | 19.76* | 19.18 | 19.81¶ |
| Schilder | 18.23 | 18.68 | 19.24 |
| Ogunleye | 19.33¶ | f | f |
| Ross | 19.01¶ | f | 18.34 |
| Kenzel | 18.08 | 18.34 | 18.42¶ |
| Roos | 19.33 | 19.07 | 18.99 |
| Wesche | 20.06*¶ | f | 19.90 |
| Maisch | f | 18.21¶ | f |
| Zhang | 17.88 | 18.94 | 18.94 |
| Lennman | 17.78¶ | f | f |
| Gong | 17.70 | 18.96¶ | 18.49 |
| round 4 | |||
| Kenzel | f | ||
| Zhang | 19.16¶ | ||
| Gong | f | ||
| Ross | 18.36 | ||
| Schilder | 19.51 | ||
| Ogunleye | 18.62 | ||
| Roos | 18.91 | ||
| Jackson | 19.67 | ||
| Mitton | 19.75 | ||
| Wesche | f | ||
| round 5 | |||
| Zhang | 19.13 | ||
| Ross | 17.56 | ||
| Schilder | 18.76 | ||
| Ogunleye | 18.73 | ||
| Roos | 18.83 | ||
| Jackson | f | ||
| Mitton | 19.80 | ||
| Wesche | 18.87 | ||
| final round | |||
| Ogunleye | 18.89 | ||
| Roos | 19.54¶ | ||
| Schilder | 20.29*¶ | ||
| Jackson | 20.21¶ | ||
| Mitton | 19.62 | ||
| Wesche | f | ||
QUALIFYING (September 20; auto-qualifier 63-0/19.20)
Qualifiers: Ogunleye 64-5¾ (19.65), Jackson 63-4¼ (19.31), Wesche 63-2¾ (19.27), Roos 63-1½ (19.24), Mitton 63-0 (19.20), Ross 62-9¼ (19.13), Gong 62-3¾ (18.99), Schilder 62-3¼ (18.98), Zhang 62-1¼ (18.93), Maisch 61-9 (18.82), Kenzel 60-10¾ (18.56), Lennman 60-3¾ (18.38);
Non-Qualifiers: Axelina Johansson (Swe) 60-¼ (18.29), Jessica Ramsey (US) 59-11¾ (18.28), Emilia Kangas (Fin) 59-3½ (18.07), Lloydricia Cameron (Jam) 58-3¾ (17.77), Eliana Bandeira (Por) 58-3 (17.75), Jessica Inchude (Por) 58-½ (17.69), Treneese Hamilton (Dom) 58-¼ (17.68) NR, Auriol Dongmo (Por) 57-6¼ (17.53), Yue Sun (Chn) 57-3½ (17.46), Jorinde van Klinken (Neth) 57-3 (17.45), Dianelis Delís (Cub) & Miné De Klerk (SA) 57-¾ (17.39), Jing-Yuan Chiang (Tai) 57-0 (17.37), Maggie Ewen (US) & Senja Mäkitörmä (Fin) 56-9½ (17.31), Eveliina Rouvali (Fin) 56-1¼ (17.10), Ivana Gallardo (Chl) 55-9 (16.99), Ashley Erasmus (SA) 55-5½ (16.90), Erna Sóley Gunnarsdóttir (Ice) 55-4¼ (16.87), Colette Uys (SA) 54-8¾ (16.68), Miryam Mazenauer (Swi) 53-10¼ (16.41), Ana da Silva (Bra) 53-9¾ (16.40), Kelsie Murrel-Ross (Grn) 53-1½ (16.19).
