Ukraine topped the medal table at the European Throwing Cup for the second year in succession in Leiria, Portugal this weekend with two gold medals and one silver medal.
After winning U23 gold last year, Mykhailo Kokhan and Artur Felfner upgraded to senior gold in the hammer and javelin respectively while reigning European U18 and U20 champion Mykhailo Brudin contributed silver in the U23 discus.
A three-time U23 winner, Kokhan produced one of the outstanding performances of the weekend. In cold and inclement conditions, Kokhan set the hammer out to 78.13m for a clear-cut victory over world and European medallist Bence Halasz, the European Throwing Cup winner in 2022 and 2023.
Felfner, 20, was eligible to defend his U23 title but his decision to move up to the senior ranks paid off. He threw a season’s best of 81.89m to defeat a strong field including Germany’s 90 metre-plus performer Max Dehning who was fourth with 80.30m.
But the strength in depth of European throwing was on show as the 16 individual titles were divided by 13 nations with only Ukraine, Italy - who won the most medals with five in total (two gold and three bronze) and Poland coming away with multiple titles. In total, 21 participating nations came away with a medal of some description.
There was a significant performance in the women’s hammer from Katrine Koch Jacobsen who became Denmark’s first ever gold medallist in the history of the European Throwing Cup with victory in the hammer with 71.95m ahead of Romania’s European champion Bianca Ghelber with 71.66m.
Muhamet Ramadani became the first ever athlete from Kosovo to win a title at the European Throwing Cup last year in the U23 men’s shot put and he successfully defended his title in Leiria to double his country’s gold medal tally in championship history.
And fittingly, the last senior gold medal went in the direction of hosts Portugal. Irina Rodrigues, who is also a qualified doctor and juggles her profession alongside her athletics, launched the discus out to a world lead and national record of 66.60m for an emotional and popular victory.
After three successive editions in Leiria, the next three editions of the European Throwing Cup will take place in Nicosia, Cyprus.