Sunday was day two of the 16th European Throwing Cup in Arad – and it was one to remember for the hosts.
Men’s senior - shot put
They may have had to wait until the penultimate event of the weekend but it was worth it as Romania’s Andrei Gag earned an impressive win for the home country.
Gag had one of the best years of his career in 2015 when he broke the national record with 20.96m and won silver at the Universiade in Gwangju (19.92m).
Now 24, he has a big title to his name after securing victory in the second round with 20.68m, even though his other two legal efforts of 20.50m and 20.01m would still have brought victory.
Portugal’s Tsanko Arnaudov was second (19.85m) from round two with Italian Sebastiano Bianchetti in third (19.78m) from round four.
Men’s under-23 - javelin
These are good times for German javelin throwing and after the senior women’s success of Christin Hussong the day before, Julian Weber added to the glory in the first event on the second day of the 16th European Throwing Cup.
And in the end it was not even close, such was the command that Weber had as he won with his opening throw of 81.24m.
That first round brought the eventual top two, with Hungary’s Norbert Rivasz-Toth producing his best effort (77.70m), while third went to Türkiye’s Emin Oncel (72.64m) from the third round.
After a second round foul, Weber remained consistent throughout and three of his four other efforts would have brought victory as he threw 79.89m, 72.86m, 80.23m and 80.13m
Women’s under-23 - discus
Slovenia’s Veronika Domjan might not be 20 until September but she showed age does matter with a superb and memorable victory in Arad.
The European junior silver medallist was the star of this under-23 event which she won in the fourth round with 54.04m. At that stage Finland’s Salla Sipponen led with her third round effort of 53.15m, which would see her remain in second as Domjan overtook her. She had earlier throws of 52.90m, 51.92m and 52.46m before her winning distance. Moldovan Alexandra Emelianov (52.58m) was third.
Women’s senior - discus
Melina Robert-Michon was the pre-event favourite and now she is the post-event champion.
Her success was sealed early, as she followed an opening throw of 60.48m with her winning 62.05m in the next round of a competition where no-one else broke 60m.
Not that Robert-Michon could relax, far from it, and the closest competition came from her fellow Frenchwoman Pauline Pousse who took second with a fifth round 58.24m.
But Robert-Michon, the European silver medallist, also went over 60m with her third throw of 60.92m, her fifth of 61.57m and her last of 61.33m.
Eliska Stankova, of the Czech Republic, was third with 55.55m.
Men’s under-23 - shot put
Fifth at the IAAF World Junior Championships in 2014, Türkiye’s Osman Can Ozdeveci had a great day in Romania on Sunday.
He won with 18.59m and all his legal efforts – the first five – were over 18m.
Ozdeveci started with 18.27m, and then progressed to 18.31m, 18.47m and the 18.59m before 18.42m.
Germany’s Patrick Muller (18.12m) took second with Karl Koha, of Estonia, in third (17.29m).
Men’s senior - javelin
No messing about for Belarusian Uladzimir Kazlou, whose first throw proved the best of the day as he took the title with 79.34m.
His second effort of 77.66m would also have brought victory but after that he recorded four fouls.
Yet the rest could not overtake him in Group A, with Italian Norbert Bonvecchio (76.66m) second and Latvia’s Zigismunds Sirmais (75.41m), a former European Under-23 and junior gold medallist, in third.
But overall, France’s Jeremy Nicollin had the second best throw of the day with his fourth round 76.77m bringing him victory in Group B in the earlier session of action.
Women’s under-23 - hammer
Winning a field event is not always about the form you show during the whole event – it can come down to one jump or, as in the case of Hanna Malyshik in Arad on Sunday, one throw.
Back in fourth, Malyshik (64.63m) was trailing Hungary’s leader Reka Gyuratz (67.34m) after two rounds.
But then with her next attempt, she delivered brilliantly to throw the event wide open with a personal best of 68.76m which took her all the way to the title.
Gyuratz dropped down to second where she stayed with Sweden’s Marinda Petersson (66.18m) in third.
Women’s senior - javelin
Zalina Marghieva took victory in the fifth round with 72.58m as France’s Alexandra Tavernier saved her best to last but it was just not enough.
Moldovan Marghieva had a consistent programme with five throws in the 70s, her last was a foul, with her leading from her opener of 71.00m.
Tavernier reached 70.75m in round three before her final best effort with Germany’s former world record-holder Betty Heidler in third (69.83m) from her fourth throw.