Silver for Sara Fantini in the hammer throw

Sara Fantini is silver medalist in the hammer throw at the European Athletics Championships underway in Birmingham. The Carabinieri class of ’97 confirms itself on the continental podium two years after the gold medal in Rome 2024, thanks to the measurement of 74.35 achieved on the first attempt, without then managing to improve.

The hammer throw podium

The Finn triumphs Silja Kosonenuncatchable at 76.28, while the bronze goes to the Norwegian Beatrice Nedberge Llano (72.88).

Sara Fantini, 28 years old from Fidenza, remains on the continental podium but drops one step. From the triumph two years ago at the Olympic Stadium in Rome with a lower measurement (74.18), to the silver this evening on the platform of the Alexander Stadium in the English town with 74.35 behind the 23-year-old Finnish Silja Kosonen who remained just over half a meter below her record.

The Finnish hammer player became world junior champion in 2021. Sara, daughter of the former pitcher Corrado, standard bearer of the Carabinieri, would have had to improve both the season record of 75.62 and her national record of 75.77 meters to confirm herself as European champion. The trained Italian’s series was 73.35 at the start, therefore a null throw, 73.81, 74.11, 73.41 and 72.14. For Fantini it is the third consecutive medal at the European Championships: in fact, in 2022 it was bronze in Munich. The women’s hammer medal is Italy’s fifth medal at the European Championships in Birmingham.

Fantini, it wasn’t obvious, I’m very happy

“I’m very happy. It was absolutely not a given to arrive here and get a medal. I won’t deny that I tried until the end. Silja (Kosonen, ed.) did exceptional things and I’m very happy for her.” Thus Sara Fantini on Rai microphones after the silver in the hammer throw at the European Athletics Championships underway in Birmingham.