Who is Juleisy Angulo? Ecuador’s first female World Champion shocks Tokyo

Juleisy Angulo from Ecuador, stunned everyone at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025, claiming the women’s javelin world title with a personal best of 65.12m. Entering as the 14th seed, Angulo became Ecuador’s first female world gold medallist and the country’s first field event world champion.

Her second-round throw, a near two-meter improvement on her previous best, secured her a historic victory.

Who is Juleisy Angulo?

Juleisy Angulo is a determined 24-year-old javelin thrower from Ecuador who overcame significant challenges, including two surgeries on her left knee, to achieve her lifelong dream of a world medal.

Inspired by her training partner, Colombia’s Flor Denis Ruiz Hurtado, who earned silver two years ago, Angulo’s perseverance and ambition drove her to this historic win. She initially aimed just to reach the final in Tokyo, making her gold medal a shocking and emotional victory.

A surprising result at the Tokyo event

The women’s javelin event in Tokyo lacked the dominance seen in previous years, with the winning distance of 65.12m being the smallest ever for the world title. Yet, this opened the door for underdogs like JuleisyAngulo.

Australia’s Mackenzie Little set an early pace with a 63.58m throw in the first round, but Angulo’s second-round stunner shifted the momentum. Latvia’s Anete Sietina responded late, throwing a personal best of 64.64m in the final round to claim silver, while Little held on for bronze.

Qualification and missed opportunities

The qualification round delivered its own drama when Japan’s Olympic champion Haruka Kitaguchi failed to advance to the final. Despite a season-best of 64.63m earlier in the year, Kitaguchi managed only 60.38m, finishing 14th and missing the 12-woman final, much to the disappointment of the home crowd.

Meanwhile, Serbia’s Adriana Vilagos led qualifiers with a 66.06m throw, and Little posted a season’s best of 65.54m, both distances that could have won gold, but neither could replicate their form in the final.

A new era for women's javelin throw

Juleisy Angulo’s win not only rewrote Ecuador’s athletics history but also highlighted the unpredictability of the women’s javelin in 2025. While the winning distance may have been modest, the passion and perseverance of Angulo, Sietina, and Little made Tokyo a memorable stage.