In 2022 a new era of women’s shot put began as the Netherlands’ Jessica Schilder took her first senior European title in Munich the year after being crowned European U23 champion.
Two years later, also with a world bronze medal to her name, she would go on to successfully defend her title, but this season the Dutchwoman has really soared.
European record - 22.63m Natalya Lisovskaya (URS)
European lead - 21.09m Jessica Schilder (NED)
Championship record - 21.69m Vita Pavlysh (UKR), 20 August 1998, Budapest
Roma 2024 medallists
- Jessica Schilder (NED), 18.77m
- Jorinde van Klinken (NED), 18.67m
- Yemisi Ogunleye (GER), 18.62m
Five names to watch:
- Jessica Schilder (NED
- Jorinde van Klinken (NED)
- Yemisi Mabry (GER)
- Fanny Roos (SWE)
- Axelina Johansson (SWE)
Earlier this year Schilder made history at the Shanghai Diamond League where she threw 21.09m to not only break the Diamond League record, but also becoming just the third woman in the world to break 21 metres since the turn of the millennium.
Schilder’s record throw put her name up with New Zealand’s Valerie Adams, a two-time Olympic and four-time world champion, and she continued to impress after Shanghai with all but one of her competitions after that meet surpassing 20 metres.
If she can replicate that form in Birmingham she seems all but set to take her third gold medal, becoming just the second woman to win the event three or more times.
The only other European woman to have thrown 20m plus this year is Yemisi Mabry, formerly Ogunleye, who’s throw of 20.37m dates back to 27 February and she has not thrown beyond 20m since.
However, Sweden’s Axelina Johansson threw a PB of 19.97m in May, so break through the 20 metre -barrier for the first time when she takes to the circle in Birmingham.
This year she already took bronze at the world indoor championships with 19.75m, beating Schilder to a medal position.
But she won’t be the only Swede to watch out for as Fanny Roos looks to maker her first outdoor major podium after taking a silver and bronze at the 2021 and 2023 European Athletics Indoor Championships.
While Portugal’s Jessica Inchude threw her season’s best of19.62m at the end of July at her national championships as she looks to peak in Birmingham and also maker her maiden European podium.
But she’ll also be joined by countrywomen Auriol Dongmo and Eliana Bandeira who have thrown 19.17m and 18.95m this year respectively.
Dongmo won the 2022 world indoor title and took silver the same year at the European Athletics Championships, but was forced to miss the 2024 season due to a broken leg and is yet to break 20 metres again since.