Alexandra Tavernier in action at the Gyulai Memorial (© Organisers)
Alexandra Tavernier broke the French record in the hammer to highlight the Kladno Throws and Kladno Memorials, a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meeting in Kladno, Czech Republic, on Wednesday (16).
Dominating the competition, the 26-year-old 2015 world bronze medallist reached 75.24m in the fourth round to take down the national record of 74.94m she set in July. Tavernier followed up with 75.12m and 74.71m efforts in rounds five and six to piece together the finest series of her career.
Action in the throws figured prominently in the late afternoon action.
Two-time Olympic javelin champion Barbora Spotakova threw a meeting record of 64.34m in the first round to claim her fourth victory in five competitions this season. Her compatriot Nikola Ogrodnikova was second with 62.22m, to edge Elina Tzengo of Greece by a lone centimetre.
Christos Frantzeskakis of Greece won the men's hammer with 75.92m ahead of Hungary's 2012 Olympic champion Krisztian Pars who reached 73.28m. Tavernier's younger brother Hugo was third with a 72.28m personal best.
Gatis Cakss of Latvia won the men's javelin with 82.19m, Colombia's Mauricio Ortega the discus with 63.61m and Czech Tomas Stanek the shot put with 20.19m.
On the track, Egyptian 100m and 200m record-holder Bassant Hemida took the sprint double, winning the 100m in 11.23 and 200m in 22.91, the performance in the shorter dash clipping 0.08 from the 100m national standard she set in Rabat last year. Both were also meeting records.
Isabelle Boffey of Great Britain won the 800m in 2:01.88, a personal best, with Finland's Sara Kuivisto second in 2:02.28.
Bob Ramsak for World Athletics
