It’s another gold: Poland wins top spot in women’s shot put
Poland swept up another gold medal at the European Athletic Championship in Berlin yesterday with Paulina Guba taking crowning glory in the women’s shot put.
Throughout the competition Guba had been trailing behind Germany’s Christina Schwanitz in second place.
But with her last putt Guba stormed into the winning lead with a spectacular 19,33-metres.
After the competition ecstatic Guba told journalists: “This is the biggest success of my life. I could see that the German was slightly nervous, you could see that from her. I entered the circle, relaxed, because my first put was weak and I decided I had nothing to lose. I didn’t know that this throw would make me the champion.”
This is Guba’s first medal during a tournament of this level. Before, she once came third and once came second during Universiades in 2015 and 2017.
Guba said: “You mature and here in Berlin I decided that finally after the competition I will be able to hold my head a little bit higher. Before I would fail during the most important tournaments, for example during last year’s World Championship in London. I decided then that I would never allow myself to leave the stadium in tears again.”
Her victory follows on the heels of two other wins for Poland’s shot putter Michał Haratyk and hammer throwing Wojciech Nowicki who also took gold on Tuesday.
On Thursday, the third day of the European Championship, Polish athletes to watch are Adam Kszczot in the 800m qualifications, Patryk Doba in the 400m hurdles final, and Justyna Święty-Ersetic, Małgorzata Hołub-Kowalik and Iga Baumgart-Witan in the 400m semi-finals.
