European indoor shot put champion Zane Weir produced a massive winning throw and a brilliant series to win at the Meeting Internazionale Citta di Padova, a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meeting, on Sunday (3) evening.
Weir started with 21.77m to lead the competition from multiple global medallist Joe Kovacs who opened with 21.51m. But in the second round Weir extended his lead with a massive lifetime best and meeting record of 22.44m, the longest throw recorded by a European shot putter in more than three decades.
Kovacs responded gamely with efforts of 22.40m and 22.39m in the second and fourth round respectively but just fell short and had to settle for second behind the inspired Italian who was keen to atone for his disappointing performance at the World Athletics Championships.
“I am truly honoured and grateful for this achievement,” said Weir who went big in qualifying in Budapest with 21.82m before delivering an under par display later in the day with 19.99m for eleventh in the final.
“In Budapest I learned that nothing can be taken for granted. It wasn't easy to digest the disappointment of the World Championships, but this performance makes me feel good. I hope to continue like this and I'm curious to see what the limits of my potential are,” Weir added.
The balance of power in the men’s shot put in Europe has shifted from Poland to Italy in recent years and the Italians will certainly be hoping for at least one - if not two - medals in this event at the European Athletics Championships in Rome from 7-12 June next year.
Behind Weir and Kovacs, surprise world silver medallist Leonardo Fabbri, who trains with Weir under the tutelage of Paolo Dal Soglio, finished third with 21.49m just a fortnight after improving his lifetime best to 22.34m to finish second to world record-holder Ryan Crouser at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
But in Padua, the plaudits belonged to Weir who recorded six valid throws, all of which were measured at 21.60m or further. He had three throws in excess of 22 metres with his best throw of 22.44m moving him up to fifth on the European all-time list.
Weir’s winning mark of 22.44m was also the longest throw recorded by a European indoors or outdoors since 1989 when former East German Ulf Timmermann broke the world indoor record with 22.55m.
Other highlights included four-time European cross country champion Nadia Battocletti dropping down in distance to win the 1500m in a lifetime best of 4:03.34 ahead of Italian teammate Sintayehu Vissa (4:04.10) and Mohamed Abdikadar Sheik Ali leading an Italian one-two in the men's 1500m in a 3:33.79 PB ahead of British-based Osama Meslak in 3:33.92.
Full results here.