Cyprus’s Iosif Kesidis claimed his country’s first-ever gold medal at the World Athletics U20 Championships on Thursday, dominating the men’s hammer throw final with a world U20 leading mark of 82.80m.
The 19-year-old lived up to his favourite status, surpassing his closest competitor by more than seven metres. His winning throw, which came on his final attempt, set both a national U20 record and a personal best with the 6kg implement.
“This competition is my best,” Kesidis said after his victory. “I said to my coach before the goal, the last one I threw: ‘It is the best one, let’s go for the record.’ I love this sport.”
Kesidis’s performance marks a significant improvement from his bronze medal at the 2022 championships in Cali. His dominance was such that any of his throws on the day would have been sufficient to secure gold.
