Former Gophers thrower Barbora Špotáková defended her Olympic gold medal from Beijing in the javelin for the Czech Republic on Thursday.

Špotáková threw a seasonal-best 69.55 meters to capture her second consecutive Olympic gold. Although her distance was well off her 72.28-meter world record, it was enough to beat out Germany's Christina Obergfoll and Linda Stahl. They threw 65.16 meters and 64.91 meters to claim the silver and bronze medals, respectively.

Špotáková competed for a season in 2002 at Minnesota and won All-America honors in the javelin, and she participated in the heptathlon at the NCAA championships. She was the first Gophers women's track and field member to compete at the Olympics when she traveled to Athens in 2004.