Merlin Hummel in the hammer at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship Budapest 26 (© Getty Images)
Germany’s Merlin Hummel produced one of the first big shocks of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship Budapest 26, defeating multiple global champion Ethan Katzberg and world leader Bence Halász to win the men’s hammer.
The world silver medallist opened with 81.46m, which stood up as the best mark of the competition. European champion Halász, Hungary’s best hope of glory this weekend, started his campaign with 80.30m to move into second place.
The biggest surprise of the contest, though, was that world and Olympic champion Katzberg failed to record a valid throw. The Canadian’s opening-round effort landed comfortably beyond the 80-metre line, but it was a few metres wide of the sector. His second attempt was also a no-throw; in the format used for the Ultimate Championship, only the top six athletes progressed beyond round two.
Olympic bronze medallist Mykhaylo Kokhan was sitting in third place at the half-way stage, and he consolidated that in round three with 78.90m.
Hummel came close to his leading mark in round three, sending his hammer out to 81.44m. Four athletes progressed to the fourth and final round, but none of them registered an improvement, meaning Hummel held on to his lead and gained revenge on Halász, who had taken European gold ahead of the German in Birmingham last month.
"It is so overwhelming," said Hummel. "Just two years ago I was in the top eight in the world, so then I was overwhelmed with the silver medal at the World Championships last year. I am used to being in the top three now, but winning the Ultimate title feels very special. I still cannot describe how I feel. All of athletes had problems with the wet circle so we had to adapt to it. I fell once and destroyed some cameras so I just had to adapt to the competition and stay relaxed."
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
