Iosif Kesidis finishes 12th in European hammer throw final

Cypriot athlete Iosif Kesidis competed in his first-ever men’s European Athletics Championship final in Birmingham on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. The 20-year-old athlete, coached by Panikos Charalambous, had secured his spot in the 12-man final after qualifying 11th with a throw of 75.48 meters on Monday.

In the final competition, Kesidis finished in 12th place with a best throw of 72.27 meters. After registering two foul throws in his opening attempts, he recorded his only valid mark during the third round. While he was unable to improve his standing in the subsequent rounds, the experience provided significant development for his career at the senior European level. Despite his pre-final stated goal of improving upon his qualifying performance, he remained outside the medal contention.

The gold medal was claimed by Hungary’s Bence Halasz with a championship record throw of 84.25 meters. The silver medal went to Germany’s Merlin Hummel with 81.30 meters, and Ukraine’s Mykhaylo Kokhan took the bronze with 79.49 meters. Earlier in the season, Kesidis had set a new Cypriot national record of 78.61 meters, demonstrating his rising potential in the sport.