Vetter throws 92.70m at European Throwing Cup in Leiria

Johannes Vetter's 92.70m winning effort in the javelin highlighted the European Throwing Cup in Leiria, Portugal, which concluded on Sunday (11).

Illustrating exceptional early season form, the world champion dominated the competition, opening with an 85.57m throw in the second round, extending his lead to 88.28m in the third before unleashing his winning throw in the fifth round. It was the 12th farthest throw of all time and added nearly a metre and a half to his world lead which prior to today was 91.22m.

Notably, only world record-holder Jan Zelezny has thrown farther in the month of March. The Czech legend threw 94.02m on 26 March 1997.

Teammate Berhard Seiftert was a distant second at 80.62m.

📺 WATCH: Johannes Vetter's 92.70m throw WL, CR, SB, GOLD. #Leiria2018

😍 12 furthest of all-time
😎 Vetter's 3rd furthest throw
😶 Still only March

➡️➡️ https://t.co/Dz7OZlkILa pic.twitter.com/8Q37fmNOSw

— Vinco (@VincoSport) March 11, 2018

There was a second victory for Germany on the second day, courtesy of discus thrower Nadine Mueller whose fourth-round 60.42m edged Portugal's Irina Rodrigues, who reached 60.39m in the same round.

Hanna Malyshik won the women's hammer with 72.62m, topping Alexandra Tavernier of France who reached 71.20m in the sixth round. Poland's Malwina Kopron was third with a 69.54m best.

Neutral athlete Aleksandr Lesnoy took the men's shot put with 21.32m, beating back Poland's Michal Haratyk who reached 21.18m. Bob Bertemes of Luxembourg was third at 20.56m.

On Saturday, Daniel Stahl led a Swedish 1-2 in the discus with 66.81m in his season opener. The world silver medallist set the tone by producing that effort in the opening round. His teammate Simon Pettersson, also a world finalist in London last summer, responded best, reaching 65.81m in round five, a lifetime best. Alin Alexandru Firfirica of Romania was third with 63.45m. Olympic champion Christoph Harting produced just one valid throw, a 62.88m effort in the fourth round to finish fourth.

Croatia's Martin Markovic, the 2014 world U20 champion, won the U23 discus competition with a PB of 63.24m.

Just a week after taking the world indoor title, Anita Marton of Hungary was the class of the field in the women's shot put, winning by more than half a metre with 19.12m, the only throw of the competition beyond 19 metres. Aliona Dubitskaya of Belarus was second at 18.47m.

Pawel Fajdek opened his season on a winning note as well, taking the hammer with 77.30m ahead of Slovak Marcel Lomnicky who reached 75.97m. Turkey’s Ozkan Baltaci was third at 75.71m.

Bence Halasz of Hungary took the U23 title with 74.83m.

Norway’s Sigrid Borge won the women's javelin with 62.42m to score an upset over Germans Christin Hussong and Katharine Molitor, who reached 60.02m and 59.80m respectively.

Bob Ramsak for the IAAF