Ukraine's 'Iron Lady', Natalia Semenova, bravely competed in discus qualifying at the world championships on Saturday after suffering concussion and a broken, bloodied nose in a freak accident just before the event began.

The European championship bronze medalist was accidentally hit in the face by Polish athlete Zaneta Glanc, who had mimed a throw while holding the discus, as she sat in the athletes' area next to the discus circle at the Luzhniki stadium.

"Coach asked me not to compete ... but I had to throw to show my husband and parents watching on TV in Donetsk that I'm alive, feeling good and I'm the 'Iron Lady' as usual," Semenova, who finished bottom of her qualifying group after managing only one legal throw, said in a statement released by the Ukrainian team.