Krisztian Pars of Hungary celebrates gold in the Men's Hammer Throw Final on Day 9 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 5, 2012 in London (© Getty Images)
This final was a one man show just as were the European Championships earlier this summer which tonight's champion had also won. Hungary’s Krisztián Pars, the 2009 World Championships silver medallist, has after a long distinguished international career which began with the World Youth title back in 1999, emerged this year as the world’s pre-eminent hammer thrower. Of the 30-year-old’s 11 competitions (finals only) this season he has won 10, with his only loss coming to Poland’s Pawel Fajdek in an 80m+ duel in France back in June, but the Pole didn’t make it out of the qualification round here in London.
Tonight with a third round 80.56m heave Pars won the gold by over a metre from his nearest opponent, the defending champion Primož Kozmus of Slovenia, 79.36, with Japan’s 2011 World champion Koji Murofushi in bronze with 78.71. Both these throwers produced season’s bests but neither man was in the Hungarian’s league, as another two of his throws 79.70 (5th) and 78.88 (8th) would also have secured gold.
Pars held the lead from the very first round, his 79.14 opener better than any of his opponents’ efforts until Kozmus blasted out his ultimately silver medal winning 79.36 in the fifth, by which time Pars had already taken his hammer beyond the 80m sector tape. Murofushi’s best came in the third round but that was short of the defending Olympic champion’s first effort of 78.97 which held silver at that point, let alone Pars’ lead.
Ukraine’s Olexiy Sokyrskiyy who had held on to bronze until the third series of efforts with his 78.25, was the only other athlete over 78m.
Kozmus can be very proud of his defence. The 32-year-old Slovenian came into the Olympics with a season’s best of 77.35, and seemed to be way off medal form but showed the mark of a true champion in how he responded today. Equally Murofushi should be happy as with fitness problems he had been even further adrift this season, his national championships victory of 72.85m his only competition prior to London.
"I just wanted to win," said Pars. "I wasn't thinking about anything else. It wasn't really the best throw but I'm happy with what I achieved."
Summing up his dominance the gold medallist continued, "in the first round it was obvious that my competitors weren't going to throw over 80m. I feel happy with what I did, I won the gold medal."
So how do we put Pars’ performance into a historic perspective?
Pars, fourth in 2008, is the fifth Hungarian to win the Olympic laurels, a proud tradition which appropriately began with Imre Nemeth at the last London Olympics on 31 July 1948.
Tonight’s win was low key in comparison with the last two Olympics, Murofushi and Kozmus’ victories coming with 82m plus efforts. The last title to be won with less distance than today was in Sydney 2000 (80.02) which went to Szymon Ziolkowski of Poland, who finished seventh tonight (77.10); as a foot note that placed the Pole directly ahead of Sydney silver medallist Nicola Vizzoni of Italy (76.07; 8th).
Chris Turner for the IAAF
Tonight with a third round 80.56m heave Pars won the gold by over a metre from his nearest opponent, the defending champion Primož Kozmus of Slovenia, 79.36, with Japan’s 2011 World champion Koji Murofushi in bronze with 78.71. Both these throwers produced season’s bests but neither man was in the Hungarian’s league, as another two of his throws 79.70 (5th) and 78.88 (8th) would also have secured gold.
Pars held the lead from the very first round, his 79.14 opener better than any of his opponents’ efforts until Kozmus blasted out his ultimately silver medal winning 79.36 in the fifth, by which time Pars had already taken his hammer beyond the 80m sector tape. Murofushi’s best came in the third round but that was short of the defending Olympic champion’s first effort of 78.97 which held silver at that point, let alone Pars’ lead.
Ukraine’s Olexiy Sokyrskiyy who had held on to bronze until the third series of efforts with his 78.25, was the only other athlete over 78m.
Kozmus can be very proud of his defence. The 32-year-old Slovenian came into the Olympics with a season’s best of 77.35, and seemed to be way off medal form but showed the mark of a true champion in how he responded today. Equally Murofushi should be happy as with fitness problems he had been even further adrift this season, his national championships victory of 72.85m his only competition prior to London.
"I just wanted to win," said Pars. "I wasn't thinking about anything else. It wasn't really the best throw but I'm happy with what I achieved."
Summing up his dominance the gold medallist continued, "in the first round it was obvious that my competitors weren't going to throw over 80m. I feel happy with what I did, I won the gold medal."
So how do we put Pars’ performance into a historic perspective?
Pars, fourth in 2008, is the fifth Hungarian to win the Olympic laurels, a proud tradition which appropriately began with Imre Nemeth at the last London Olympics on 31 July 1948.
Tonight’s win was low key in comparison with the last two Olympics, Murofushi and Kozmus’ victories coming with 82m plus efforts. The last title to be won with less distance than today was in Sydney 2000 (80.02) which went to Szymon Ziolkowski of Poland, who finished seventh tonight (77.10); as a foot note that placed the Pole directly ahead of Sydney silver medallist Nicola Vizzoni of Italy (76.07; 8th).
Chris Turner for the IAAF
