Athletics: Catalin Tecuceanu wins 800 m event in Zagreb, with a new national record

The Romanian athlete Catalin Tecuceanu on Tuesday won the 800 m race in the Zagreb competition, the "Boris Hanzekovic" Memorial, a stage of the World Athletics Continental Tour 2021, with a new national record, 1 min 44 sec 93/100.

The old record dates from April 9, 1985 and belonged to Petre Dragoescu, timed in Kobe (Japan) in 1 min 45 sec 41/100.

Tecuceanu (22 years old) did not manage to qualify for the Olympic Games, but he has three victories in his last four races on the international circuit, World Athletics notes.

The Romanian athlete overtook the British Daniel Rowden (1: 44.98) and Elliot Giles (1: 45.01). Bosnian world runner-up Amel Tuka gave up after 600 meters.

In the weight throw event, held on Monday, the American Ryan Crouser won with 22.84 meters, followed by the New Zealander Tomas Walsh, 22.39 m, and another American, Joe Kovacs, 21.70 m. Romanian Andrei Rares Toader ranked the last place, the 10th, with 18.84 m.