Portugal made its mark, literally, in the men’s discus throw at the World Athletics Championships. Stepping into the Tokyo arena in 2025, Emanuel Sousa became the nation’s first thrower in the event. The 26-year-old Benfica athlete finished 34th overall. He managed a throw of 56.97 meters, a notable debut for his country.
Sousa’s path to that 56.97-meter mark was a bit bumpy. He fouled on his first two attempts. Then, under pressure, he delivered his only valid throw on the third try. This effort secured his spot in the standings.
Looking back, Sousa admitted the qualification round felt off. “It didn’t go very well,” he told reporters. He truly believed he had the skill to contend for a final spot. But things just didn’t fall into place as he hoped. He sees these big events as crucial learning curves. “It’s a process,” he explained, “we gain experience here to bring out our best.”
This year, Sousa arrived in Japan’s capital carrying a new national record. He launched the discus an impressive 67.51 meters in Ramona, USA. That monster throw earlier in the year sealed his World Championship debut. It also set his sights firmly on the 2027 championships in Beijing.
His primary goal for the season was simply to be present at the Worlds. Getting to the final, or at least very close, was his second major aim. “This goal wasn’t quite achieved,” he acknowledged. Still, he took pride in being there for the first time. “I was here this year,” he promised, “but in two years, I’ll be back again.”
The 56.97 meters he recorded was a decent effort, but it fell short of the final qualifying mark. Germany’s Mica Sosna snatched the last spot for the final with a throw of 64.99 meters. The championship final is set for Sunday. It starts at 8:10 PM local Tokyo time, which is 12:10 PM in Lisbon.
Sousa described a moment of frustration during his second throw. He felt he could have done much better, closer to the qualifying range. “The discus slipped a bit,” he recalled. He also pointed to the tricky conditions. “With the heat and humidity, even the magnesium doesn’t work well,” he noted. He sees this as just a blip. “Today wasn’t my turn,” he concluded, “but I believe I’ll be much better prepared next time.”
Meanwhile, Swedish powerhouse Daniel Stahl showed why he’s a champion. He had the best qualifying mark of 69.90 meters. Stahl is no stranger to success in this arena. He claimed his Olympic title at this very venue in 2021. He also holds World Championship titles from Doha in 2019 and Budapest in 2023.