Yesterday, Maria Andrejczyk threw the javelin 71.40m during the European Cup in throws held in Split, Croatia, and improved the Polish record by over four metres. The fourth athlete of the last Olympics lacked only 88 cm to the world record. Only two female athletes in history have been better than her. The Pole leads in the European Cup competition in Split.
The result of LUKS Hancza Suwalki athlete has been the best in javelin throw in the world for ten years. And only Czech Barbora Spotakova – 72.28 and Kuibanka Osleidys Menendez – 71.70 were better in history.
The previous national record also belonged to Andrejczyk and was 67.11. She set it in the preliminaries at the Rio de Janeiro Games.
Earlier in Split, returning to competition after a two-year break world record holder in hammer throw Anita Włodarczyk for the first time in 13 years lost to a domestic rival. The two-time Olympic champion proved weaker than 2017 World Championships bronze medallist Malwina Kopron.
This is the second start this season for Wlodarczyk, who is taking her first steps in the circle after knee surgery and a change of coach. The second-time Olympic champion clocked 72.37 on Sunday to finish as a second behind Kopron. The second Pole was measured at 72.82.
“It was very hard to feel the circle, too slippery. I’m happy with the gold because the result, for what I throw during training, is very average” – said Kopron, for whom this is still the best opening of the season in her career.