Having eclipsed the javelin Olympic gold medal mark less than a month ago, a shattered Mackenzie Little was left to wonder what might have been after her Paris campaign fell flat.
The 27-year-old threw a personal best of 66.27 metres at the London Diamond League meet in late July, fuelling hopes of a breakthrough gold medal for Australia in the event.
Despite an impressive world championship history, including Little's third place last year, javelin gold has proved elusive with Louise McPaul's 1996 silver medal the closest, while Kelsey-Lee Barber won bronze in Toyko.
But Little, who juggles athletics with a full-time career as a doctor at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney, was one of three throwers cut from Saturday night's 12-strong final at Stade de France after three attempts.
The best she could manage was 60.32 metres on her first throw - well shy of her personal best from London.
The winner, Japan's world champion Haruka Kitaguchi, took gold with 65.80m with South Africa's Jo-Ane van Dyk (63.93) and Czech Nicola Ogrodniikova (63.68) taking the minor medals.
"People were expecting some big throws tonight and I wish I could have been throwing them," said Little, struggling to hold back tears.
"I'm disappointed in my performance in the final.
"I was confident and I've been able to perform in majors.
"I just thought the whole time that I could do it. There was no reason that I couldn't and so I think that just makes it harder.
"There's no excuses ... it could have been different, which is a hard thing to swallow."
Her Australian teammate, four-time Olympian Kathryn Mitchell, was also emotional, bringing down the curtain on her Games career finishing seventh with her top throw a season-best at 62.63.
The 42-year-old was competing in just her second meet after rupturing her calf in April.
"I did the best I could do with what I've done so I have to walk away satisfied and happy with that," Mitchell said.
She bowed to the crowd before departing although said while it was her last Olympics, she hadn't made a call on retirement.
"It's not a goodbye right now. But it's certainly the end of my place in Olympic history."
