Adriana Vilagos and Silja Kosonen both produced brilliant early season world leads as the European Throwing Cup in Nicosia, Cyprus got underway on Saturday (15).
Serbia’s Vilagos produced a huge world lead of 66.88m to win the women’s javelin throw. Although it is very early in the year, her second round throw would also have been good enough to earn the outright world lead last year.
The twice European silver medallist opened in superb style with 65.67m, adding 3cm to her personal best, before sending her spear into unchartered territory with her very next throw.
It was more than enough for a clear victory on the day, and lays the foundations for a very promising year to come for the 21-year-old, who was awarded the Women’s Rising Star award at last year’s European Athletics Golden Tracks ceremony.
Second place went to Norway’s experienced Sigrid Borge, winner of this event seven years ago, with a third round 62.62m. 2016 Olympic champion Sarah Kolak of Croatia and 2022 European champion Elina Tzengko of Greece were third and fourth with 59.66m and 58.87m respectively, underlining the quality of the competition.
Kosonen wins with booming world lead
Kosonen produced a monstrous final throw in women’s hammer, setting a new world lead of 77.07m. It also added 1.62m to her personal best coming into the competition.
The Finn has long been one of the rising stars of the women’s throws, claiming World U20 (Nairobi 2021), European U20 (Tallinn 2021) and European U23 (Espoo 2023) titles. Last year she also made her presence felt in the senior ranks, placing fourth in the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships and fifth in the Paris Olympics.
But this statement victory lays down a firm marker of greater deeds to come from the 22-year-old in 2025. The Harry Potter fan had victory sealed with a first round new personal best of 75.61m, but there was more magic to come.
Third and fourth round efforts of 74.72m and 74.81m underscored Kosonen’s dominance, but her sixth round throw will have sent a clear message across women’s hammer throwing internationally.
Second went to France’s Rose Loga, silver medallist at Roma 2024 with a sixth round 72.87m and third to Italy’s European champion Sara Fantini with a fifth round 72.37m.
Inchude lands shot put win with personal best
There was also a breakthrough performance from Jessica Inchude in the women’s shot put. Fresh from placing fifth in the Apeldoorn 2024 European Athletics Indoor Championships, the Portuguese athlete launched a final round 19.21m throw, adding 3cm to her lifetime best for victory.
Germany’s Katharina Maisch, seventh in Apeldoorn, was second with 18.58m and third place went to Spain’s María Belén Toimil with 17.37m.
In the U23 women’s competitions, Marie Josee Bovele Linaka of France won the discus with 57.37m and there was an impressive win in the javelin for Czechia’s Petra Sičaková with 60.26m, a mark which would have given her third place in the senior competition.
Chris Broadbent for European Athletics