Russia wrestled Hungary’s iron grip on this event as these two proud hammer nations produced a typically competitive battle among their finest young throwers.
The two athletes from each nation had provided the four best throwers in qualifying but world leader Mikhail Levin proved the pick of the crop having led the competition from the end of the first round with 76.29m. In round five he added a further 12 centimetres to his mark and despite the Hungarians efforts he clung on to win gold.
In round two, Sandor Palhegyi, the youngest male competitor in the World Youth Championships aged 14 (he is not 15 until November 4), produced a personal best of 75.47 to move into silver medal position. And also in the second round Russian Yeygeniy Aydamirov advanced into the bronze position in the same round with 72.32m.
The third round saw the second Hungarian, 15-year-old Kristof Nemeth elevate himself into bronze with 72.91m and in round five he moved up a place on the podium with 75.59m before Levin extended his advantage.
The final round which brought the curtain down on the second day of competition was set up for a dramatic finale but sadly not one of the eight competitors produced a mark and the status quo was maintained.
An elated Levin said: “I’m champion of the world! This is fantastic. I knew that the first throw went far enough to win. I have no idea how I threw it that far, but I was really comfortable in the circle and threw as far as I could.
“I practice on the coast of the Black Sea and it gets very rainy and very cold. So these were almost ideal conditions for me today.”
Hungary has provided the two previous champions in the World Youth Championships in 1999 and 2001.
