Dutch athletes end drought in women’s shot put in Munich, achieving first two medals in event in meet history by capturing gold and bronze for their country; Former Virginia star Mihaljevic earns first men’s shot put crown for Croatia, with Turkey’s Can taking another women’s 10,000 title

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

One of the busiest days in the young career of Jorinde van Klinken, a recent transfer to Oregon after winning three NCAA Division 1 titles at Arizona State, concluded with one of the most memorable showcases in the history of Dutch women’s track and field Monday at the European Athletics Championships at the Olympic Stadium in Munich, Germany.

After not earning a single medal in the women’s shot put in the previous 23 editions of the meet dating to 1938, the Netherlands earned a pair of podium finishes, with 23-year-old Jessica Schilder capturing gold with a second-round mark of 66 feet, 5 inches (20.24m) and van Klinken, 22, completing a challenging schedule with bronze following an outdoor personal-best 62-1.75 (18.94m) on her second attempt.

JOHN NEPOLITAN EVENING SESSION PHOTOS | JOHN NEPOLITAN MEN'S MARATHON PHOTOS | JOHN NEPOLITAN WOMEN'S MARATHON PHOTOS

“This is really like a dream and I did not expect this to happen at the end of the season,” said Schilder, who helped the Netherlands become the first country since 2010 to earn multiple medals in the women’s shot put.

“Today, I am especially happy for Jorinde, as she did a great job. I am so excited and glad to share the podium with her. It is just surreal what just happened. I tried to relax between the qualification and the final and my coach helped me a lot. It worked out and I am full of emotions now. It was nerve-racking and I am glad I managed it so well.”

Auriol Dongmo, the reigning World Indoor champion, secured silver with a Portuguese national record 65-0.50 (19.82m) in the second round.

Axelina Johansson of Nebraska, representing Sweden, finished seventh at 59-2.25 (18.04m).

In addition to the shot put final, van Klinken also participated Monday in discus qualifying and shot put prelims, before earning the third major international shot put medal of her career, along with a European U20 title in Sweden in 2019 and a bronze at the World U20 Championships in 2018 in Finland.

She also triumphed in March in the women’s shot put final with a lifetime-best 62-7.25 (19.08m) at the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Alabama.

“It is amazing. I knew it was going to be an extremely tough day for me. I could not ask for more tonight. I got through the discus qualification into the final and I got a medal in a shot put in just one day,” said van Klinken, who needed three throws to secure her place in Tuesday’s discus final with a mark of 204 feet (62.18m).

“It is just crazy and I love it. I feel super super super proud. I will need a lot of sleep at this point. It has been such a long day. Mentally, I need to recover a bit. Tomorrow, I need to switch to the discus technique and need to focus again to throw far.”

Sandra Perkovic of Croatia led all discus qualifiers with a 216-4 (65.94m) effort on her third attempt, seeking her record sixth consecutive European title in Tuesday’s final.

Croatia earned its first gold medal of the meet Monday with former Virginia standout and NCAA champion Filip Mihaljevic producing a 71-9.50 (21.88m) performance in the sixth round to capture the men’s shot put title, also achieving the first European Championships medal in his country’s history in the event.

Armin Sinancevic of Serbia took silver with a fifth-round mark of 70-2.25 (21.39m) and Tomas Stanek of the Czech Republic grabbed bronze with a third-round effort of 69-9 (21.26m).

Nick Ponzio, a USC and Great Oak graduate, finished fourth for Italy at 68-10 (20.98m).

Yasemin Can of Turkey captured her second European Championships gold in the women’s 10,000 meters, pulling away in the final seven laps from Commonwealth Games winner Eilish McColgan of Great Britain and World Championships marathon bronze medalist Lonah Chemtai Salpeter of Israel.

Can, who also prevailed in 2016 in Amsterdam, clocked 30 minutes, 32.57 seconds, with McColgan running 30:41.05 and Salpeter finishing in 30:46.37.

Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen, representing Nike’s Union Athletics Club, finished fourth in 31:05.21, with Oregon standout Alessia Zarbo placing 12th for France in 32:36.28 and former Portland standout Jasmijn Lau finishing 16th for the Netherlands in 33:14.0.

Can produced a strong surge with a 2:55 split in the eighth kilometer of the race, as McColgan and Salpeter were unable to respond. McColgan covered the final lap in 67.4 seconds to separate herself from Salpeter, who ran the marathon July 18 in 2:20:18 in Eugene, Ore.

It marked the second straight European 10,000 medal for Salpeter, who won in Berlin in 2018, and the first podium finish for Great Britain since Joanne Pavey captured the title in 2014 in Switzerland.

Israel added two more medals earlier in the day, with Maru Teferi and Gashau Ayale earning silver and bronze in the men’s marathon behind champion Richard Ringer of Germany.

Ringer clocked 2:10:21, followed by Teferi in 2:10:23 and Ayale running 2:10:29.

It marked the marathon medals in the history of the meet for both Germany and Israel, along with the first time since 1998 that one country produced two athletes on the podium in the event.

Aleksandra Lisowska produced the first women’s marathon medal in meet history for Poland, securing the gold in 2:28:36.

Matea Parlov Kostro also achieved the first medal for Croatia in the women’s marathon by clocking 2:28.42, with Dutch athlete Nienke Brinkman edging Germany’s Miriam Dattke for the bronze after both competitors were timed in 2:28:52.

Simon Ehammer of Switzerland led all competitors following the first day of the men’s decathlon with 4,661 points. Switzerland has not earned a decathlon medal at the European Championships since Joseph Neumann grabbed bronze in 1938.