News01 May 2009


World’s Hammer Throw elite gather in Warsaw for Skolimowska memorial meeting

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Kamila Skolimowska in the hammer at the 2000 Olympic Games (© Getty Images)

Warsaw, PolandSome of the world’s top hammer throwers will gather this Saturday (2 May) in Warsaw to honour the memory of the 2000 Olympic champion, Kamila Skolimowska, who tragically died during a training camp earlier this year at the age of 26. The competition will also feature a Highland Games-style strength competition with the participation of Olympic medallists in throwing events.

The site of the event – the training stadium of Skra club – has not been chosen without a reason. It was in the very same place that the 13-year-old Skolimowska participated in her first hammer throwing competition in 1996. Four years later, it was also here that she set a World junior record with 69.13m, giving an advance warning of what was to come in Sydney later that year.

This time the Skra throwing field will host a field of a much higher caliber than it has in the past. Although the competition is taking place on short notice, many of Skolimowska’s colleagues from across the world have decided to take part.

Kozmus leads the men’s field

One of the stars of the men’s competition will undoubtedly be Primoz Kozmus. The Slovenian Olympic champion and World Championship silver medallist will be competing for the first time this year, but with his record in recent seasons his status as a co-favourite is certain. He will, however, have to contend with his closest rival from the Beijing Olympic final, Krisztian Pars. The 27-year-old Hungarian has already shown great form this year, recording the two best marks of the year so far, with a top result of 81.43m last week in Veszprem.

The only other man to throw over 80m this year, Aleksey Zagornyi, is also in the field. The Russian has now been among the world’s elite for a decade, and although he has never won medals at the major global events, he boasts the best PB of all the competitors in Saturday’s meet – 83.43m, set in 2002.

A competition of this kind could not take place without Szymon Ziolkowski. Poland’s top hammer thrower for over a decade, Olympic champion from 2000 and World champion in 2001. Ziolkowski was Skolimowska’s training partner for several years, and will attempt to honour his friend’s memory with a top-class result in his first outing of the year. His old rival and Olympic runner-up from Sydney, Nicola Vizzoni, will also be present in Warsaw. The 36-year old Italian is still in good shape, as shown by his 78.51m at this year’s European Winter Throwing Cup. Finally, his compatriot Marco Lingua, who beat him there with a season’s best of 79.66m, is also arriving in Poland ready to challenge for top places.

Women’s competition - Wlodarczyk the favourite

In the women’s contest, Skolimowska’s former domestic rival Anita Wlodarczyk starts as the favourite. The 23-year-old is leading the world with a big PB of 75.05m she set at the European Cup in March in her only competition so far in 2009. One of her major rivals is bound to be Manuela Montebrun, a former World and European Championship medallist, who finished fifth in Beijing last year, just ahead of Wlodarczyk. The Frenchwoman has also shown good early form, having thrown 72.91m this year.

One more Olympic finalist is making the trip to Warsaw: Martina Hrasnova of Slovakia, the woman with the best PB in the field – 76.82m set in 2007. The field will feature three more athletes who have thrown over 70m in 2009: Stephanie Falzon of France and the fast-improving Moldovian duo, sisters Zalina and Marina Marghieva.

New throws centre, honouring Skolimowska, to be inaugurated

The Saturday’s competition marks the inauguration of the new throws training centre in Warsaw bearing the name of Kamila Skolimowska. The Olympic champion is also the patron of a new charity foundation, which will support the rehabilitation of athletes affected by injuries and illnesses. The foundation was started up using the proceeds from the sale of Skolimowska’s Olympic gold medal, which her parents decided to put up for auction following her death. The medal was ultimately purchased by the Polish Olympic Committee and will be exhibited at the Sports Museum in Warsaw.

In addition to the more serious athletics competition, the meet will also feature a strongman (Highland Games) exhibition throwing contest. The Olympic shot put champion Tomasz Majewski, Beijing discus throw runner-up Piotr Malachowski and Kamila Skolimowska’s cousins, strongmen Sebastian and Lukasz Wenta will participate in a range of events, including throwing a 60-kilogram log and a sledge hammer.

Pawel Jackowski for the IAAF

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