By Amy Tennery
EUGENE, Ore. (Reuters) – Poland’s Pawel Fajdek produced the best throw of the year to secure an astonishing fifth successive World Championship hammer title on Saturday in Eugene, Oregon.
Compatriot and Olympic champion Wojciech Nowicki finished with silver and Norwegian Eivind Henriksen took bronze.
A stone-faced Fajdek threw a disappointing first attempt but ran away with the affair on the third try, letting out a roar as he hit a mark of 81.98 metres.
He is only the second athlete to win five back-to-back world golds, after pole vaulter Sergey Bubka, who ultimately went on to win six successive titles.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in Eugene, Oregon; Editing by Ken Ferris)