Krisztián Pars defends his title at the Pál Németh Memorial in Szombathely (© Pál Németh Memorial organisers)
Only ten days after the end of the inaugural World Hammer Throw Challenge came to an end in Zagreb, some of the best throwers met once again to face off in the 2nd Pál Németh Memorial in Szombathely on Friday (10). The meeting commemorated the most successful Hungarian Hammer Throw coach nicknamed the “Hammer Pope” after he passed away unexpectedly just last January.
The line-up included freshly crowned European champion Libor Charfreitag (SVK), former World and Olympic champion Szymon Ziolkowski (POL), and home crowd favourite Krisztián Pars, who was the last in a long list of international athletes raised and mentored by the “Hammer Pope”.
In front of a crowd of approximately 1500 spectators – which included local celebrities, politicians as well as former athletes of Pál Németh such as 1998 European Champion Tibor Gécsek and 1999 World Championships silver medallist Zsolt Németh – Pars was eager to defend his title from last year and started the competition with 75.83m, which would have been enough to finish at least second as the weather was quite damp and windy. Charfreitag, Igors Sokolovs (LAT) and Ali Al-Zinkawi (KUW) all had their problems with the circle and the conditions as between them they produced only two legal throws in the first three rounds, which lead to Al-Zinkawi finishing outside of the top-8.
Besides Pars, two other Hungarian throwers were given the chance to compete with the best, Kristóf Németh, another one of Pál Németh’s protégés and finalist from Barcelona, as well as the Word and European Junior Championships silver medallist Ákos Hudi, who both qualified for the second stage of the competition.
Both the Asian Champion Nazarov and Pars improved over two metres on their second attempt thereby pulling away from the competition with Charfreitag struggling to find his winning form from Barcelona and finishing and the competition in third place, with only two legal throws and a best mark of 75.00m.
The president of the Tajik Athletics Association, Dilshod Nazarov saved the best for last, but that was not enough to spoil the party and take away the win from Pars. The Hungarian wanted to make up for his disappointing 4th place finish in the Hammer Throw Challenge just recently, and while Nazarov ended the meeting with 77.45m in second, Pars reached 78.34m for the win.
The meeting also included a wide range of activities for children and the public such as school relays and a chance for guest to test themselves at hammer throw and weight throw.
Marton Gyulai for the IAAF
The line-up included freshly crowned European champion Libor Charfreitag (SVK), former World and Olympic champion Szymon Ziolkowski (POL), and home crowd favourite Krisztián Pars, who was the last in a long list of international athletes raised and mentored by the “Hammer Pope”.
In front of a crowd of approximately 1500 spectators – which included local celebrities, politicians as well as former athletes of Pál Németh such as 1998 European Champion Tibor Gécsek and 1999 World Championships silver medallist Zsolt Németh – Pars was eager to defend his title from last year and started the competition with 75.83m, which would have been enough to finish at least second as the weather was quite damp and windy. Charfreitag, Igors Sokolovs (LAT) and Ali Al-Zinkawi (KUW) all had their problems with the circle and the conditions as between them they produced only two legal throws in the first three rounds, which lead to Al-Zinkawi finishing outside of the top-8.
Besides Pars, two other Hungarian throwers were given the chance to compete with the best, Kristóf Németh, another one of Pál Németh’s protégés and finalist from Barcelona, as well as the Word and European Junior Championships silver medallist Ákos Hudi, who both qualified for the second stage of the competition.
Both the Asian Champion Nazarov and Pars improved over two metres on their second attempt thereby pulling away from the competition with Charfreitag struggling to find his winning form from Barcelona and finishing and the competition in third place, with only two legal throws and a best mark of 75.00m.
The president of the Tajik Athletics Association, Dilshod Nazarov saved the best for last, but that was not enough to spoil the party and take away the win from Pars. The Hungarian wanted to make up for his disappointing 4th place finish in the Hammer Throw Challenge just recently, and while Nazarov ended the meeting with 77.45m in second, Pars reached 78.34m for the win.
The meeting also included a wide range of activities for children and the public such as school relays and a chance for guest to test themselves at hammer throw and weight throw.
Marton Gyulai for the IAAF
