Bianca Perie of Romania on her way to victory in the Women's Hammer Throw (© Getty Images)
making hammer queen Bianca Perie may have won every major international prize on offer in the age-group categories but insists it is only a stepping stone to future success on the senior stage.
Yesterday in the Zawisza Stadium in Bydgoszcz, Perie, 18, retained her World Junior title with a Championship record throw of 67.95m to become the only athlete to have successfully defended both World Youth and World Junior titles.
Weather conditions not a problem
The Romanian’s first taste of international glory came at the 2005 World Youth Championships in Marrakesh as she launched the hammer out to a gold medal-winning throw of 62.27m at the tender age of 15.
Perie – which means brush in her native tongue – has since gone on to maintain her early promise, too.
At the 2006 World Junior Championships in Beijing she comfortably defeated athletes up to three years older with a winning toss and Championship record of 67.38m.
Meanwhile, within six days in July last year she retained her World Youth title in Ostrava with 64.61m and secured the European Junior gold medal in Hengelo with 64.35m.
Predictably, more success followed here in Poland, yesterday, as she ignored strong winds, chilly conditions and even a mid-event rain shower to strike gold, again.
“I kept control of my emotions,” said Perie. “I was very relaxed and not affected by the rain. I was happy with the result since I set a championship record. Two weeks ago I picked up an injury with my right foot, but it was okay in competition.”
The double World junior hammer gold medallist hails from the North Romanian town of Roman (pop 70,000) and comes from a sporting family. Her father was an accomplished amateur boxer and her 12-year-old sister is also a national age group record holder in the hammer.
Quick taste of tennis before concentrating on throwing events
Perie started life as tennis player aged eight but the racquet was quickly replaced by a pair of athletics shoes. She started her athletics career as a discus thrower and shot putter but her lifelong coach Lucian Cucos, recognising her natural speed, switched her to hammer eight years ago.
Cucos believes his prodigy has many qualities and explained: “She has a good technique, is very fast in the circle but is also very strong mentally.”
After achieving so much in international age-group competition her coach believes it is now crucial she pitches herself up against the top seniors. Next month Perie competes for Romania at the Olympic Games and Cucos believes she has the ability to perform with distinction.
“In Beijing, Bianca can reach the final if she puts 2kg or 3kg of muscle on her between now and then,” he explained.
Perie, who loves to dance to RnB music in her down time away from athletics, also has high expectations for the future.
“I want to win an Olympic gold medal, maybe not in Beijing, but maybe in London (at the 2012 Games),” she added.
Click here for event by event reports of all finals
Steve Landells for the IAAF
