Ukraine’s Artur Felfner defended his title at the Bergen 2025 European U23 Athletics Championships on Saturday (19), winning the men’s javelin with a dramatic final round throw.
Bergen 2025 is being live streamed on the European Athletics website courtesy of Eurovision Sport.
Season's best and personal bests in thrilling last round
Felfner was sitting in bronze medal position with a second round best of 78.12m, but with the third last throw of the entire competition, he unleashed a season’s best throw of 81.14m to snatch the lead.
To that point, it had been a closely matched competition without quite catching fire. Germany’s Nick Thumm was the first athlete to breach the 80 metre line with 80.16m in the second round. And following Felfner’s pivotal throw, he had one more chance to regain the lead.
He produced a courageous personal best throw of 80.74m, just 40cm shy of gold, but a hard-earned silver. Finland’s Eemil Porvari was the top ranked entrant, but had to settle for bronze with a fourth round throw of 79.88m.
"It´s amazing to win a gold from these championships, because right before the last attempt I came to my coach and he said "Artur, let´s go. Power, speed in one hit!" and it went as planned," said Felfner.
"Last attempt and I won with 81.14m. It´s crazy because I did not throw javelin for two months before this competition because I was recovering from the back injury. It was good to defend my title. So it was a very important and a good day for me definitely."
Lauria defends shot put title
Germany won their fourth throws event of the championships with Tizian Lauria taking the men’s shot put gold, also defending the title he won two years ago in Espoo. Lauria was a heavy favourite, particularly having qualified some 0.52m ahead of the rest of the field earlier in the day.
But he was put under some pressure by Sweden’s Leo Zikovic who made a massive improvement, adding 32cm to his personal best with a fourth round effort of 19.47m.
But Lauria produced a superb series, landing 19.77m in the third round, improving to 19.97m in the fourth round and with victory secured, he put the cherry on the cake with a final round 20.02m. Bronze went to the Netherlands’ Yannick Rolvink with a fifth round effort of 19.01m.
Bertelli adds U23 gold to U20 gold
In the men’s pole vault, Italy’s Simone Bertelli added 7cm to his lifetime best, clearing 5.70m at the third attempt to triumph, adding to the European U20 title he won at Jerusalem 2023.
French duo Tristan Despres and Anthony Ammirati and Latvia’s Valters Kreišs all cleared 5.60m, but silver went to Depres and bronze to Kreiss on countback.
Vanninen leads heptathlon overnight
On the first day of the women’s heptathlon, Finland’s Saga Vanninen holds the overnight lead with 3870, a mere three points ahead of Great Britain’s Abigail Pawlett. Both athletes enjoyed a fine first day.
Defending champion Vanninen, also the world and European indoor heptathlon champion, opened with a 100m hurdles personal best of 13.25, equalled her high jump personal best of 1.80m, improved her shot out personal best to 15.09m and clocked 24.45, just 0.10 short of her lifetime best in the 200m.
Pawlett was the quickest in the 100m hurdles with 13.06, cleared 1.71m in the high jump, added a huge 1.07m to her personal best in the shot with 14.53m and clocked 23.23 in the 200m.
France’s Maeva Bastien is in bronze position overnight with 3652 points after setting new personal bests in the 100m hurdles (13.73), high jump (1.80m) and shot put (13.32m).
