The 2026 European Throwing Cup is returning to Cyprus as some of the world's best throwers compete in Nicosia to eye up their competition ahead of the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships this summer.
Global medallists such as Leonardo Fabbri, Bence Halasz, Merlin Hummel and Mykhaylo Kokhan make up part of the 287 athletes competing in the Cypriot capital on 14-15 March, which will be broadcast live without any restrictions on European Athletics YouTube channel.
With it being early in the throws season, it is the perfect time for athletes to make a statement and show their intent for the upcoming year.
Fabbri, however, has already done just that.
The reigning European champion confidently leads the men’s shot put entry-list with his world leading throw of 22.50m from 11 February in South Africa to open his season as he continues his chase of the 23m mark.
But he won’t be able to take the title easily with fellow Italian Nick Ponzio joining him in Cyprus after throwing 20.61m this year.
But 2017 European indoor champion Konrad Bukowiecki of Poland will also be hoping to crash Fabbri’s party after consistently throwing over 20m this year.
Hummel, Kokhan, Halasz to clash in men’s hammer
The European, world and Olympic medallist, Halasz, is returning to the European Throwing Cup after opening his season with 80.66m.
Last year the Hungarian took the win with 78.75m, with Germany's world silver medallist Merlin Hummel and Ukraine's Olympic bronze medallist Mykhaylo Kokhan in fifth and sixth respectively.
The pair will be eager to move up the standings and challenge the Hungarian, but the whole top six from last year - Czechia's Volodymyr Myslyvcuk, Norway's Thomas Mardal and France's Yann Chaussinand - are also set to return and will put up a tough fight.
All six men have PBs above 78m, however only Halasz and Chaussinand have competed this year with the Frenchman throwing 76.85m.
Fantini takes on Loga
Italy's Sara Fantini, the reigning women’s hammer European champion, will also be returning to reclaim the title she won once in 2023.
She opened her season with 72.38m but France's Rose Loga, who won bronze at the 2024 European Athletics Championships, will also be in Cyprus and currently leads the start list with a season opener and PB of 73.81m.
Also in the women’s hammer is the competition’s most decorated athlete, three-time world champion and Olympic gold medallist Yipsi Moreno, now 45-years-old, competing for Albania, formerly Cuba.
Vilagos to defend javelin title
Vilagos, the two-time world U20 champion and reigning European U23 champion, will also return to Cyprus to defend her title.
The 22-year-old Serbian has two senior European silver medals to her name and is one of Europe’s most exciting young talents.
But she will face a challenge in Greece’s 2022 European champion Elina Tzengko who threw 64.90m in 2025, but is yet to compete this year just like Vilagos.
It will be the first time the pair meet this season ahead of their expected clash at the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships.
Discus too close to call
Both the men’s and women’s discus see very close competitions with many athletes holding the potential to take the win.
The women’s event will see 46-year-old world and Olympic medallist Melina Robert-Michon of France look to win back the title she won in 2014, 2016, and 2017.
But Rome 2024 bronze medallist Liliana Ca of Portugal, Paris 2024 Olympics fourth place athlete Marike Steinacker of Germany, and Tokyo world championships fourth placer Vanessa Kamga of Sweden will all also be competing in the stacked field.
In the men’s competition Lolassonn Djouhan of France leads the competition based on PBs with 70.25m but in his season opener he measured at 58.00m.
There are nine men with PB’s over 67m entered to the competition, setting up an unpredictable competition.
Those athletes include Germany’s Steven Richter, the reigning European U23 champion, Shaquille Emanuelson of the Netherlands who has a PB of 69.65m, and Iceland’s Guoni Valur Gudnason also with a PB of 69.35m.
The U23 competitions are also deep in quality.
Entries include Ukraine's European U18 and U20 gold medallist Mykhailo Brudin of Ukraine in the men's U23 discus, Hungary's European U20 champion Armin Szabados (men's U23 hammer), 90m thrower Max Dehning of Germany (men's U23 javelin) and Cypriot record-holder and European U20 gold medallist Valentina Savva (women's U23 hammer).