Report17 Mar 2013


Discus thrower Muller reaches 66.69m at European Cup Winter Throwing

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Nadine Muller (© Getty Images)

German discus thrower Nadine Muller, the 2011 World Championships silver medallist, was the star of the second day of the European Cup Winter Throwing in the Spanish town of Castellon when she launched her implement out to 66.69m on Sunday (17).

Muller opened with her big throw, her fourth best competition of her career, and then followed it up with efforts of 62.39m, 63.97m, 61.81m, 64.62m and finally 63.89m, winning by more than five metres.

Russian javelin thrower Mariya Abakumova stunned with an almighty effort of 69.34m on Saturday and her compatriot Valery Iordan was clearly inspired.

The 21-year-old 2012 European Athletics Championships javelin silver medallist sent his spear out to 82.89m, which was less than a metre shy of his best. The distance not only won the under-23 event, but it would have also won the senior event as Latvia's 2011 European junior champion Zigismunds Sirmais, himself only 20, threw 82.51m.

In the women's Hammer Throw there was an upset as Moldova's Zalina Margieva, eighth at the London 2012 Olympic Games, found her first-round effort of 71.98m was sufficient to triumph and also defeat Russia's 2012 Olympic champion Tatyana Lysenko.

Lysenko had four efforts over 71 metres but the best was only 71.54m. France's 2012 IAAF World Junior Championships gold medallist Alexandra Tavernier, still only 19, won the under-23 Hammer contest with 66.20m.

Another Barcelona champion, Germany’s Shot Put winner Shanice Craft, who has also not turned 20 yet, won the women’s under-23 Discus with 60.14m.

The hosts Spain had to wait until the very last event of the weekend to get underway before tasting victory as shot putter Borja Vivas reached 20.00m to win the men's senior event and bring a smile to the faces of the local crowd.

Phil Minshull for the IAAF