Hungary’s Bence Halász sets meet record to beat Canadian Olympic champion Ethan Katzberg at the Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix.
Halász Claims Victory Before Home Crowd
Hungarian hammer thrower Bence Halász delivered a personal-best throw of 83.18 metres to defeat Canada’s Ethan Katzberg at the Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix on Tuesday evening in Budapest. The victory came in sweltering 31°C conditions before an enthusiastic home audience.
A Duel with Olympic Stakes
Halász, who finished second to Katzberg at the 2024 Paris Olympics, overtook the reigning Olympic champion on his third attempt and maintained the lead. Katzberg’s best throw of the day, 81.88 metres, earned him silver at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event, also known as the Istvan Gyulai Memorial. Ukraine’s Mykhalo Kokhan claimed bronze with an 80.84-metre throw.
Katzberg’s Strong Start Falls Short
The Nanaimo, B.C., native opened the competition with an 80.31-metre throw and improved to 81.01 on his third attempt. Although he came close to regaining the lead, Katzberg could not surpass Halász’s record-setting mark. It was Katzberg’s second loss of the season after an earlier defeat to American Rudy Winkler in Oregon.
Track Stars Face Mixed Fortunes
In other Canadian performances, Kate Current of Cobourg, Ont., set a personal best of 4:02.79 in the women’s 1,500 metres, boosting her bid for a spot at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Meanwhile, Saskatchewan’s Savannah Sutherland did not start the women’s 400-metre hurdles race as planned, following her recent Canadian-record run at the NCAA championships.
Marathon Debut Announcement
Off the track, Canadian distance runner Ben Flanagan confirmed he will make his marathon debut at the sold-out Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 19. The Kitchener, Ont., athlete chose the event over international options to race for a national title on home soil.
International Highlights
The meet also saw Sweden’s Armand Duplantis break his own pole vault world record, clearing 6.29 metres for his 13th career mark. Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson won the men’s 100 metres in 9.95 seconds, while Olympic sprint champion Julien Alfred announced her withdrawal from upcoming Diamond League events due to injury.
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