Alina Kenzel after winning the shot put at the IAAF World U20 Championships Bydgoszcz 2016 (© Getty Images)
Two years after missing the final by one place, Germany’s Alina Kenzel dominated the shot put in Bydgoszcz.
Not only did she make certain of her place in the final this year, she guaranteed the top spot of the podium with her opening effort of 16.91m.
She was only just getting started, though.
Kenzel sent her second shot out to 16.66m and then – much like men’s shot put winner Konrad Bukowiecki 24 hours earlier – unleashed her winning effort in round three. The 4kg steel ball landed comfortably beyond the 17-metre line and was measured at a world-U20-leading distance of 17.58m, adding 10 centimetres to her PB from last month.
“It's a really great feeling, I can't describe it,” said Kenzel, who became the fifth German winner of this title. “This medal means everything to me. I came here with the best PB, but every competition is a new experience. I'm also happy I set a PB and now I want to take this feeling into the next season.”
China’s Song Jiayuan, who led the qualifying round earlier in the day, improved with each of her first three throws and eventually took silver with her third-round mark of 16.36m. This is the fifth World U20 Championships in succession in which a Chinese athlete has made it on to the women’s shot put podium.
USA’s Alyssa Wilson only registered one valid mark but her second-round effort of 16.33m was enough to take bronze.
Germany’s Sarah Schmidt, the only woman in the field to have beaten Kenzel this year, had to settle for fourth place with 16.18m.
Jon Mulkeen for the IAAF
