‘Everybody cried’: Emotional medal for javelin thrower Jo-Ane Van Dyk

Javelin thrower Jo-Ane van Dyk was soaking in the emotional experience, after stunning her opponents on Saturday night to secure the silver medal in the women’s javelin throw at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Van Dyk launched a 63.93m heave with her second attempt in the final, landing the spear just 29cm short of her personal best (64.22m) which had been set in the qualifying round a few days earlier.

Even after setting a personal best, Van Dyk remained outside the top 10 in the world rankings this season, and she had been considered an underdog going into the medal battle.

“It was a strange thing just seeing everyone in the crowd. I haven’t seen my fiancé cry, I think ever – maybe once – but he cried. I haven’t seen my father cry, except for maybe once or twice, but he cried. Everybody cried. It was just amazing,” Van Dyk said.

“I’m just happy. I’m happy for our country and I’m happy for the team.”

After 15 days of competition at the Paris Olympics, the SA team had raked in a total of six medals (one gold, three silver and two bronze) heading into the final day of the quadrennial Games.

The national squad were lying in a tie for 42nd place in the medals table, with China leading the charge after pocketing 90 medals, including 39 gold.

Looking ahead

Three long-distance runners – Gerda Steyn, Cian Oldknow and Irvette van Zyl – will be the last SA athletes to turn out at the multi-sport showpiece when they line up in the women’s marathon at 8am on Sunday morning.

The Paris Games will come to an official close when the closing ceremony gets under way at the Stade de France at 9pm on Sunday night.