ATHLETICS BREAKTHROUGH: Anita Márton, World Champion in shot put – VIDEO

Nemzetisport.hu reports the incredible achievement of the Hungarian shot-putter, Anita Márton. Unbeaten in this season, Márton became gold medalist in the final with 19.62 meters. At the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, the first-ever gold Hungarian medal was won!

Márton was at 2nd place with her 18.87 meters throw after the Jamaican Danniel Thomas-Dodd with 19.05 meters, who was preceded by Márton in the 2012 London Summer Olympics. This season was better for the Polish competitor, Paulina Guba, as well who has achieved remarkable results, but another tough opponent of the Hungarian athlete was the Chinese Kung-Li-csia, World Champion last year at the World Outdoor Chamionships in Athletics in London.

Besides the great names participating in the championship, it was also questionable how the new system introduced in the Championship would affect competitiors. It is based on the idea that until the last throw, the number of participants is halved two times.

This, however, did not affect Márton who opened with 18.29 meters, then continued with 18.30 meters. However, as the tension heightened, she showed what she knows with a world-leading 19.48 meters in the third round that amazed everyone. She did not only achieve the world’s best this year, but also improved her own national record (19.33) that she achieved in Portland in 2016.

Although her fourth attempt was invalid, she threw 18.96 meters in the fifth round. In the last round, only 4 competitiors rested in competition, but neither of them could surpass the record of Anita Márton.

Therefore, for the last attempt, she could be sure about her world champion title. This, however, did not discourage her from showing her best in this season, and she further improved her incredible throw with 19.62 meters.

In a late night interview to Nemzeti Sport, she revealed her feelings about her victory:

Have you believed that you can make history?

No, not at all. My aim was to show my best and improve my national record. When it happened with my third throw, I became completely relaxed. I though that I did why I came to Birmingham. My last throw was only the icing on the cake.

Concerning the beginning of the competition, it seemed to start with some difficulty, didn’t it?

Yes, without doubt. However, I was not the only person who started quite badly. At the warm-up, the shots were so cold that the organisers put them in hot water to warm them up. I was totally freaked out that this could happen! I have not seen something like this before. But when I improved my own record, I became totally relaxed as I mentioned.

What do you think about the new system?

I did not really like it. I think it does not do any good for the sport. But it is the last thing that I deal with now. The gold medal is more important than anything else to me.

Were you anxious when only 4 competitiors rested in competition? I saw you walking up and down quite tensely…

I was hoping that no one would precede me. I knew that the Chinese competitior could throw around 20 meters and the Jamaican athlete is also capable of this.

Can you compare this gold medal to any of your previous medals?

I have many medals, but I do not like comparing them to each other. What I see is that this gold is a great step ahead for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Featured image: MTI/AP/Matt Dunham

Source: nemzetisport.hu