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| European Throwing Cup | |
|---|---|
| Name | European Throwing Cup |
| Organiser | European Athletics |
| Established | 2001 |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Disciplines | Shot put, Discus throw, Hammer throw, Javelin throw |
| Participants | Senior and Under-23 athletes |
| Website | European Athletics |
European Throwing Cup The European Throwing Cup is an annual continental competition organized by European Athletics that focuses on the four Olympic throwing disciplines: Shot put, Discus throw, Hammer throw, and Javelin throw. Athletes from member federations such as British Athletics, Federazione Italiana di Atletica Leggera, Deutscher Leichtathletik-Verband, and Fédération Française d'Athlétisme compete alongside representatives from federations like Real Federación Española de Atletismo, Athletics Ireland, Hellenic Athletics Federation, and Athletics Federation of Serbia. The event serves both as an elite early-season meet and as a development platform for emerging throwers from nations including Poland, Germany, Russia (until suspension), Ukraine, and Sweden.
The Cup concentrates on technique-driven contests in Shot put, Discus throw, Hammer throw, and Javelin throw and features separate categories for senior men, senior women, under-23 men, and under-23 women. Competing federations include heavyweights like Poland Athletics Association, All-Russian Athletics Federation, Athletics Federation of Lithuania, Finnish Athletics Federation, Czech Athletics Federation, Slovak Athletic Federation, Bulgarian Athletic Federation, Romanian Athletics Federation, Hungarian Athletics Association, and Austrian Athletics Federation. Stars who have appeared include representatives from clubs associated with FC Barcelona, Juventus F.C. (athletics sections), Sport Lisboa e Benfica, and training groups connected to coaches who worked with athletes from University of Oregon, Loughborough University, University of Texas, Russian State University of Physical Education, Sport, Youth and Tourism, and Spartak.
The competition was inaugurated in 2001 to provide a focused throwing meet distinct from combined events such as European Athletics Championships and events like the IAAF World Championships in Athletics and the Olympic Games. Early editions featured prominent throwers who also contested meets on the Diamond League circuit, the IAAF Continental Cup, and the European Cup. Over the years the Cup has intersected careers of athletes who medaled at World Athletics Championships, European Athletics Indoor Championships, IAAF World U20 Championships, and European U23 Championships. National federations such as British Athletics, Athletics Ireland, and UK Athletics have used the Cup as part of selection policy alongside trials like AAA Championships and meets like the Prefontaine Classic.
Each edition stages men's and women's competitions in Shot put, Discus throw, Hammer throw, and Javelin throw with scoring by individual performance and team points awarded to national delegations. The format mirrors standards used in European Athletics Team Championships and mirrors qualification systems seen at World Athletics Championships and Olympic Games. Under-23 sections align with pathways similar to European U23 Championships and World U20 Championships development programs. Technical officials are accredited through systems used by European Athletics and federations such as Deutscher Leichtathletik-Verband and Fédération Française d'Athlétisme.
All-time results include performances by athletes who also feature in lists of World record holders, European record holders, and national record holders from federations like Polish Athletics Federation, Spanish Athletics Federation, Greek Athletics Federation, Latvian Athletics Association, Estonian Athletic Association, and Croatian Athletics Federation. Notable competitors have included medallists from the Olympic Games, champions from the World Athletics Championships, and record-breakers who have performed at events such as the Memorial Van Damme and Golden Spike Ostrava. Several editions produced season-leading marks that were competitive with results at the European Athletics Championships and Diamond League Final.
The Cup is typically scheduled in late winter or early spring and held in cities offering throwing-specific facilities such as hammer cages, javelin runways, and warm-weather training environments. Host cities have included venues and federations connected with Leiria, Split, Malaga, Leiria Municipal Stadium, Lanzarote, Mersin, San Marino, Leiria Municipal, Castellón, Vila Real de Santo António, Kaunas, Belo Horizonte (as inspiration for venue standards), Sofia, Athens Olympic Stadium (training analog), and other European athletics centers. Scheduling considers continental calendars like those for European Athletics Indoor Championships, World Athletics Continental Tour, and national championships such as the British Athletics Championships.
Member federations of European Athletics enter athletes subject to entry standards set by federations including British Athletics, Deutscher Leichtathletik-Verband, Athletics Federation of Serbia, Polish Athletics Association, Fédération Française d'Athlétisme, Italian Athletics Federation, Spanish Athletics Federation, Finnish Athletics Federation, Lithuanian Athletics Federation, and Latvian Athletics Union. Qualification pathways resemble those for the European U23 Championships and national selection systems used by organizations such as UK Athletics, USATF (as a comparative model), and All-Australian Athletics (administrative analog). Teams accumulate points toward team standings, echoing methods used in the European Athletics Team Championships.
Coverage is provided by outlets specializing in athletics, national broadcasters such as BBC Sport, RAI Sport, ZDF, France Télévisions, RTVE, and federations' own channels, along with specialist media like LetsRun.com, World Athletics, European Athletics press releases, and national news agencies including Agence France-Presse and Reuters. The Cup impacts coaching pathways tied to institutions like Loughborough University, University of Bath, Kazan National Research Technical University, and influences talent identification initiatives similar to programs run by Sport England, CONI, and Fondazione Atletica Leggera. Its role in athlete preparation complements competitions such as the European Athletics Championships, Diamond League, World Athletics Continental Tour, and national championships, reinforcing the European throwing community across federations including Austrian Athletics Federation, Belgian Athletics Federation, Danish Athletics Federation, Icelandic Athletic Federation, Norwegian Athletics Association, Swedish Athletics Association, Swiss Athletics Federation, Portuguese Athletics Federation, and Irish Athletics.
Category:Athletics competitions in Europe