Rio Olympics 2016: Sandra Perković Defends Discus Gold

Defending Olympic women’s discus champion Sandra Perković has won the gold medal in Rio on Tuesday…

Perković (26) won the final of the women’s discus with a throw of 69.21 metres to claim back to back Olympic gold medals. France’s Robert-Michon won silver with a throw of 66.73 metres, whilst Denia Caballero from Cuba collected bronze with her throw of 65.34.

Perković qualified for the final throwing 64.91 metres with her third attempt last night in atrocious conditions, but was in much better form during the final today in more favourable conditions. After no-throws in her first two attempts in the final, Sandra managed to throw 69.21 metres to take the lead.

The best 8 throwers in the final then had three more attempts, but none could get close to Sandra’s third throw of the final. Sandra’s winning throw was just under her personal best and national record of 71.08 meters, set at the European Championships in 2014.  

“I gritted my teeth and drew all my energy and all I had worked for over the last four years in the last throw in the first series and it came off,” Sandra said after retaining her Olympic title, before dedicating the win to her mother.

It has been another fantastic year for the Croatian, last month she equaled a European record after becoming the European Champion for the fourth time in a row. She was also named European Athletics Athlete of the Month for July.