Jessica Schilder takes the first gold of the European Athletics Championships also defending her title yet again to complete the three-peat with a big final round throw of 20.73m.
In summary
- Jessica Schilder becomes just the second woman to win the title at least three times
- Jorinde van Klinken broke her three-year-old PB to take silver
- It is an exact replica of the Rome 2024 podium
It was a deja-vu moment as the podium was a repeat of two years ago with fellow Dutchwoman, Jorinde van Klinken in second and German Olympic champion Yemisi Mabry in third.
The field walked out as sun beamed over the shot put circle and ‘Own Your Moment’, the song for the championships, echoed around the stadium and the two Dutch athletes certainly owned theirs.
All five of Schilder’s valid throws were far enough to have won the competition, with her first round of 19.81m her shortest and a no throw in the fourth round.
She was by far the favourite coming into these championships and each step of the way her calm demeanour was on full display, in the press conference, during qualifying, and all throughout the final.
In what has been a dreamy season after becoming just the third woman in the world to break 21 metres since the turn of the millennium, the now three-time champion’s success just keeps flowing.
But her countrywoman van Klinken was also up there to take the one-two with a seven centimetre PB of 19.64m in the first round, a mark that had stood for her since 2023.
While it will be the same faces on the podium, it is not the same names as Mabry, formerly Ogunleye, returned to take bronze and her first major medal with her new name.
The German threw her best in the penultimate round with 19.50m but it wasn’t quite enough to sandwich herself between the Dutch duo.
Though she also had two more valid throws, both of which were also enough to have taken the bronze as the top three set themselves ahead of the rest of the field.
Sweden’s Fanny Roos had to unfortunately settle for fourth yet again as her second round throw of 19.05m wasn’t quite enough to take herself amongst the medals for the first time at a major outdoor championship.
Portuguese pair Auriol Dongmo and Jessica Inchude took fifth and sixth with 19.05m and 18.57m respectively, while their compatriot Eliana Bandeira took 12th with 17.20m.
Germany’s Katharina Maisch and Nina Chioma Ndubuisi threw 18.39m and 18.21m for seventh and eighth each.
What they said…
Jessica Schilder (NED)
“I will never get tired of this feeling, I will never get bored of winning these medals. I had the confidence going into this that even though I was competing with an injured finger, I was capable of doing well here. It was a little bit about battling and pushing through the pain today. But knowing that I will have some rest after this competition, I just went all out. It was an exciting final. I shouldn't be saying this, maybe, but this was the easiest [of my three European titles].
"There was quite a gap with the other competitors. After the 20.52m attempt I felt quite confident and calm, knowing that I would be landing the top-spot and that I could also build a little further. It's amazing the silver medal was also won by a Dutchie (Jorinde van Klinken), and that the podium was the exact same one as in 2024. We love to compete with each other, to push each other to a higher level. I love the girls. We are just having fun, are there for each other and love each other.”
Jorinde van Klinken (NED)
“My main goal was to hit top three and a PB and I did both of those, which is just the best feeling. I think it adds pressure but the medal also feels worth more when you throw a really good distance and then win a medal. The feeling after that PB was just phenomenal. I didn't have the best of lead-ups to this event, so it was a bit of waiting to see if I would be in the shape I hoped to be. To set a PB in the first throw just gave a lot of confidence.
"My big goal for the discus is to throw over 70m and hopefully that will get me the gold medal, but you're not there only by yourself. It depends on how far the other girls throw too. I can't wait to throw the discus and it's just incredible to already have this medal.”
Yemisi Mabry (GER)
“This one really feels like gold. I have been pushing through some set backs this season so I am so glad to come out with another medal. It was a really good competition so I am glad to be able to put 19.50m. We definitely all improved with our distances from Rome two years ago. It just shows our improvement in recent years.”