Silja Kosonen wins European hammer throw gold

Finnish hammer thrower Silja Kosonen won the gold medal at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham. The 23-year-old secured her first senior championship medal with a winning throw of 76.28 metres, finishing nearly two metres ahead of silver medalist Sara Fantini of Italy.

Following her victory, Kosonen publicly shared her relationship with Senni Viren, a Finnish international futsal player. Kosonen expressed that having Viren in the stands was a moment she had dreamed of, noting that the relationship has allowed her to be herself. The athlete described the win as a major breakthrough after previously placing highly in the Olympics and World Championships without reaching the podium.