Grimsby's Hollie Arnold takes bronze in Tokyo
she was unable to defend her title
Last updated 3rd Sep 2021
27-year-old Hollie Arnold who's originally from Grimsby was leading the competition at the Paralympics going into the final round. But she was overtaken by world record holder Holly Robinson.
That meant Hollie took bronze in the F46 javelin in Tokyo, while Noelle Roorda from the Netherlands took silver.
But Javelin thrower Hollie Arnold insisted she had no regrets about her appearance on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! after being disappointed with Paralympic bronze as she relinquished her crown in Tokyo.
Defending champion Arnold set a Games record of 43.01m in storming to gold in Rio but was unable to replicate that performance on a soggy night in the Japanese capital.
The 27-year-old's effort of 39.73m was only good enough for the final place on the podium on a day which yielded six GB athletics medals at the Olympic Stadium, including golds for Owen Miller and Jonathan Broom-Edwards.
Arnold was the first contestant to leave series 21 of I'm a Celeb - which was switched from Australia to north Wales due to coronavirus restrictions - in late November but denied reality television had been a distraction from her day job.
"I had this conversation with my coach, it was a decision we both made," she said, after New Zealand's world record holder Holly Robinson claimed gold with a throw of 40.99m.
"That time away, it made me me. I found myself, I found my strength, my resilience in there, and I had a fantastic time.
"Mentally, I came out better than I thought I would ever. For me, it isn't a regret, it hasn't impacted training whatsoever.
"I'm not happy (with the result). It's just one of those things. I know there was a big throw in me, you could see the passion and fight. I've probably got millions of bruises on my leg from slapping it to get ready to compete."