From 1987 to 2007 Tikhon inherits Litvinov’s mantle 27. August 07

Osaka, Japan - Five World titles! Now that’s a coaching partnership in anyone’s estimation. When Ivan Tikhon (Tsikhan) from Belarus with a world season leading mark of 83.63m successfully defended the Hammer Throw title in Osaka which he had won in Paris 2003 and Helsinki 2005 he sealed a formidable hat-trick of World titles which even upstaged his coach’s formidable World championship reputation.

World champion in 1983 and again in 1987, Sergey Litvinov (URS) is one of the legends of men’s Hammer Throwing also being a three-time World record breaker and 1988 Olympic champion but now he has been topped at least in one respect by his pupil.

Tikhon credits most of his success to Litvinov and specifically the guidance he has received since taking his first European title in Sweden last summer. “After the European Championships in Gothenburg I worked with my coach. I thank him for helping me to continue my progress. You could see the result of this hard work today.”

Asked which victory was more important for his career, he said: “All my three victories at the World Championships are equally important and I got them after hard competitions.”

That was quite an understatement on the Belarussian’s part considering that after fouling his first two attempts tonight, he only escaped a early elimination from the final with a safety attempt of 79.35 in his third try. Even with his final three throws secured, Tikhon needed the fifth round to throw over 80 metres for the first time and become for the first time a potential threat to Slovenian Primos Kozmus who was led from the first round (80.68) and had increased his best to 82.12m on his third attempt.

Tikhon who missed the World record by one centimetre in 2006 when he threw 86.73m, finally showed that sort of form with his last release which was enough to surpass the Slovenian who despite the shock of losing his pre-eminence so close to the end of the competition responded well with a 82.29m sixth and final release of his own. Tikhon’s 83.63m surpasses anything Litvinov threw to take his two World championship wins and was a dramatic conclusion to a high quality competition in which seven men went over 80 metres.

“The final was exciting for the spectators because the win remained undecided until the end,” said Tikhon. “It was a very emotional final for me. I could not put together all I could in the first two throws. My legs did not work in the first two attempts. I realized that I could win the gold only with a very big throw. I told myself that I could do it in the final attempt. I was able to win thanks to the support from the crowd.”

On the eve of the World Championships the Hammer Throw final was billed as one of the highlights potential highlights of Osaka 2007, anticipated eagerly by the Japanese crowd who held high hopes for their local hero Koji Murofushi, the reigning Olympic champion. Yet the 32-year-old could not deliver the desired medal for Japan, injuries having hampered his preparations in the last two seasons. Yet what the crowded spectator tribune at the crown of the bend next to the hammer cage, lost in local success they reaped in last round drama for which they have Tikhon and Kozmus to thank.

Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF

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