Hungary's Bence Halász wins hammer throw at European Championships, breaks national record
Hungarian athlete Bence Halász won his first European title in the hammer throw on Tuesday at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, setting a new Hungarian record and this season's best world result on his fifth attempt.
At the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, Hungary's Bence Halász claimed gold in the hammer throw on Tuesday. On his fifth attempt he threw 84.25 metres, setting a new Hungarian national record and the best result in the world this season.
The victory marks Halász's first European Championship title. He had previously won two silver medals at earlier European Championships, as well as bronze at the 2018 European Championships in Berlin. He has also won three bronze medals at world championships, and finished second at last year's Paris Olympics.
Medal standings
Germany's Merlin Hummel took second place with a throw of 81.30 metres, while Ukraine's Mykhaylo Kokhan finished third with 79.49 metres.
Latvian athletes to compete later in the week
No Latvian athletes competed on Tuesday, but starting Thursday seven Latvian track and field athletes will take part in the championships. Anete Sietiņa, Patriks Gailums and Krišjānis Suntažs will compete in the javelin throw, Valters Kreišs in pole vault, and Oskars Grava in the 200 metres. In race walking, Raivo Saulgriezis will compete in the marathon distance and Modra Liepiņa in the half-marathon.
The Latvian delegation also includes coaches Gints Palameiks, Mareks Ārents, Viktors Lācis, Ilmārs Saulgriezis, Andis Anškins and Modris Liepiņš, along with physiotherapist Toms Zvonkovs. The European Championships in Birmingham run until Sunday.
