Jo-Ane du Plessis devastated after fourth-place finish at World Champs
21st September 2025
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Olympic silver medallist Jo-Ane du Plessis has described her fourth-place finish at the World Senior Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Saturday as the most disappointing moment of her career.
The 27-year-old entered the championships as one of the favourites for a medal but fell agonisingly short of the podium despite producing her season’s best throw of 63.06m in the women’s javelin final.
The result left her heartbroken, even though it stood out as the best South African performance after eight days of competition.
Ecuador’s Juleisy Angulo struck gold with 65.12m, Latvia’s Anete Sietina secured silver with 64.64m, and Australia’s Mackenzie Little claimed bronze with 63.58m—just nudging Du Plessis into fourth place.
“I think fourth place is the worst position to finish in,” said a visibly dejected Du Plessis. “It’s so close to a medal, yet it might as well have been miles away. My goal coming in was top five, but once I made the final, I truly believed I could fight for a podium spot.”
Du Plessis admitted she felt added weight on her shoulders after her strong showing at last year’s Olympic Games in Paris.
The disappointment extended to the South African relay team, with the 4x100m squad failing to finish their heat and later winning their appeal and being granted a re-run. They were unable to meet the qualifying standard of 38.64 seconds, ending their campaign early.
That leaves the 4x400m relay team, who qualified for today’s final at 1:25pm, to carry the nation’s last hope for a medal.
Reflecting on her performance, Du Plessis admitted the final felt like a “David versus Goliath” battle. “Last year, I was in better form, but I never feared anything. I knew I had the distance in me, and even today I believed I could deliver my best. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t enough for a medal.”
Despite the heartbreak, Du Plessis remains optimistic about the future. “There’s still room for improvement, especially in my technique. This year has exceeded my expectations overall. I really wanted a medal, and yes, I’m disappointed, but I can honestly say I had a great season. I’m already excited about what 2026 could bring.”
