Hollie Arnold denies I’m A Celebrity regrets after javelin bronze in Tokyo

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 43.01 metres in storming to gold in Rio de Janeiro 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 Celebrity, 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.”