Britain’s Steve Backley achieved a memorable feat of his own with his fourth straight javelin crown but the powerful Greek stole the show by becoming the first athlete to hold the Olympic, World and European crowns for his event.
The 29-year-old, who burst to prominence with a surprise gold medal at the Sydney Games and then took the world title last year in Edmonton, equalled the fastest time in the world this year in 19.85 seconds.
“Unbelievable,” an ecstatic Kederis said after he ran the fastest European time over 200 metres behind Italian Pietro Mennea, whose continental record of 19.72 seconds is now a target for the Greek.
“I ran a divine bend,” he said. “Of course, it’s hard to say now, but I think I have a shot at breaking the European record, being the fastest European at sea level.”
Portugal’s Francis Obikwelu, who came second to Britain’s Dwain Chambers in Wednesday’s 100 metres, remained in contention until Kederis produced superb acceleration to equal the season’s best mark set by American Shawn Crawford last April in Pretoria.
Nigerian-born Obikwelu resisted a late challenge from Marlon Devonish to take silver in 20.21, while the Briton won the bronze in 20.24.
Kederis’s victory completed a sprint double for Greece following gold for Ekaterini Thanou in the women’s 100 metres title and lifted the country’s gold medal tally in Munich to four.
The sprinter’s magnificent performance almost eclipsed Backley’s feat but the 33-year-old Britain was extremely proud after a throw of 88.54 metres enabled him to become just the third athlete to collect four successive crowns for the same event in the European competition.
“Obviously it’s something special to be a four-times European champion because in my opinion it’s usually harder to win here than at the Olympics,” Backley said after beating Russian Sergey Makarov and German Boris Henry into second and third respectively.
It was a great day for France, too, with Muriel Hurtis winning the women’s 200 metres title shortly after Stephane Diagana had dominated the men’s 400 metres hurdles final.
The 23-year-old Hurtis, who was favourite to win gold, recovered from a slow start to clock 22.43 seconds, the fastest time by a European woman this season.
Minutes earlier, Diagana cruised to victory in 47.58 seconds — a year’s best for the 400 metres hurdles — for his first significant victory since winning gold at the 1997 world championships.
The 33-year-old Frenchman controlled the race throughout to beat Czech Jiri Muzik and defending champion Pawel Januszewski of Poland into second and third.
Diagana entered the final straight in the lead and was never challenged after that.
After the race he immediately went to hug his partner, Odile Lesage, who was holding their baby boy in her arms. The 10-day-old Tidiane, who arrived just in time for the final, was sound asleep.
Results of finals:
On Friday’s:
Men’s 200 metres: 1. Konstadinos Kederis (Greece) 19.85 seconds; 2. Francis Obikwelu (Portugal) 20.21; 3. Marlon Devonish (Britain) 20.24; 4. Christian Malcolm (Britain) 20.30; 5. Marcin Jedrusinski (Poland) 20.31; 6. Marco Torrieri (Italy) 20.68; 7. Troy Douglas (Netherlands) 20.73; 8. Marcin Urbas (Poland) did not finish.
Men’s javelin: 1. Steve Backley (Britain) 88.54 metres; 2. Sergey Makarov (Russia) 88.05; 3. Boris Henry (Germany) 85.33; 4. Eriks Rags (Latvia) 84.07; 5. Raymond Hecht (Germany) 83.95; 6. Alexandr Ivanov (Russia) 82.66; 7. Dariusz Trafas (Poland) 80.37; 8. Aki Parviainen (Finalnd) 78.92; 9. Harri Haatainen (Finland) 78.27; 10. Mick Hill (Britain) 76.12; 11. Jan Zelezny (Czech Republic) No mark; 12. Ari Pakarinen (Finland) No mark.
Men’s 400 metres hurdles: 1. Stephane Diagana (France) 47.58 seconds; 2. Jiri Muzik (Czech Republic) 48.43; 3. Pawel Januszewski (Poland) 48.46; 4. Fabrizio Mori (Italy) 49.05; 5. Periklis Iakovakis (Greece) 49.07; 6. Stepan Tesarik (Czech Republic) 49.41; 7. Ruslan Mashchenko (Russia) 50.02; 8. Chris Rawlinson (Britain) did not finish.
Women’s 200 metres: 1. Muriel Hurtis (France) 22.43 seconds; 2. Kim Gevaert (Belgium) 22.53; 3. Manuela Levorato (Italy) 22.75; 4. Sylviane Felix (France) 22.89; 5. Gabi Rockmeier (Germany) 23.00; 6. Karin Mayr (Austria) 23.06; 7. Jacqueline Poelman (Netherlands) 23.31; 8. Alenka Bikar (Slovenia) 23.37.
Women’s 100 metres hurdles: 1. Glory Alozie (Spain) 12.73 seconds; 2. Olena Krasovska (Ukraine) 12.88; 3. Yana Kasova (Bulgaria) 12.91; 4. Patricia Girard (France) 13.03; 5 equal. Haydy Aron (France) 13.07, 5 equal. Diane Allahgreen (Britain) 13.07; 7. Susanna Kallur (Sweden) 13.09; 8. Svetla Dimitrova (Bulgaria) 13.75.
Women’s pole vault: 1. Svetlana Feofanova (Russia) 4.60 metres; 2. Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia) 4.55; 3. Yvonne Buschbaum (Germany) 4.50; 4. Yelena Belyakova (Russia) 4.50; 5. Annika Becker (Germany) 4.50; 6. Monique de Wilt (Netherlands) 4.40; 7 equal. Anna Rogowska (Poland) 4.30, 7 equal. Krisztina Molnar (Hungary) 4.30; 9. Kirsten Belin (Sweden) 4.30; 10. Naroa Agirre (Spain) 4.30; 11 equal. Thorey Elisdottir (Iceland) 4.20, 11 equal. Vanessa Boslak (France) 4.20.
Women’s hammer: 1. Olga Kuzenkova (Russia) 72.94 metres; 2. Kamila Skolimowska (Poland) 72.46; 3. Manuela Montebrun (France) 72.04; 4. Florence Ezeh (France) 68.03; 5. Sini Poyry (Finland) 67.47; 6. Ester Balassini (Italy) 67.27; 7. Alexandra Papageorgiou (Greece) 66.49; 8. Clarissa Claretti (Italy) 66.25; 9. Alla Davydova (Russia) 65.92; 10. Susanne Keil (Germany) 65.20; 11. Andrea Bunjes (Germany) 64.92; 12. Evdokia Tsamoglu (Greece) 64.19.
On Thursday:
Men’s 1,500 metres: 1. Mehdi Baala (France) three minutes and 45.25 seconds; 2. Reyes Estevez (Spain) 3:45.25; 3. Rui Silva (Portugal) 3:45.43; 4. Fouad Chouki (France) 3:45.46; 5. Juan C. Higuero (Spain) 3:45.81; 6. Michael East (Britain) 3:46.30; 7. Christian Obrist (Italy) 3:46.57; 8. Marko Koers (Netherlands) 3:46.68; 9. Anthony Whiteman (Britain) 3:47.10; 10. Lorenzo Perrone (Italy) 3:47.43; 11. Jose A. Redolat (Spain) 3:48.28; 12. John Mayock (Britain) 3:48.41.
Men’s 400 metres: 1. Ingo Schultz (Germany) 45.14 seconds; 2. David Canal (Spain) 45.24; 3. Daniel Caines (Britain) 45.28; 4. Marek Plawgo (Poland) 45.40; 5. Zsolt Szeglet (Hungary) 45.74; 6. Cedric Van Branteghem (Belgium) 45.95; 7. Karel Blaha (Czech Republic) 46.21.
Men’s high jump: 1. Yaroslav Rybakov (Russia) 2.31 metres; 2. Stefan Holm (Sweden) 2.29; 3. Staffan Strand (Sweden) 2.27; 4. Alessandro Talotti (Italy) 2.27; 5. Thomas Janku (Czech Republic) 2.25; 6. Svatoslav Ton (Czech Republic) 2.25; 7. Martin Buss (Germany) 2.25; 8. Jan Janku (Czech Republic) 2.22; 9 equal. Gregory Gabella (France) 2.18, 9 equal. Andrea Bettinelli (Italy) 2.18, 9 equal. Oskari Frosen (Finland) 2.18; 12. Pavel Fomenko (Russia) 2.18; 13 equal. Wilbert Pennings (Netherlands) 2.18; 13 equal. Aleksander Walerianczyk (Poland) 2.18; Gregorz Sposob (Poland) No mark.
Men’s triple jump: 1. Christian Olsson (Sweden) 17.53 metres; 2. Charles Friedek (Germany) 17.33; 3. Jonathan Edwards (Britain) 17.32; 4. Fabrizio Donato (Italy) 17.15; 5. Phillips Idowu (Britain) 16.92; 6. Aleksandr Glavatskiy (Belarus) 16.86; 7. Julien Kapek (France) 16.66; 8. Konstantinos Zalagitis (Greece) 16.62; 9. Rostislav Dimitrov (Bulgaria) 16.57; 10. Mikola Savolaynen (Ukraine) 16.55; 11. Aleksey Musikhin (Russia) 16.47; Tosin Oke (Britain) No mark.
Women’s 400 metres hurdles: 1. Ionela Tirlea (Romania) 54.95 seconds; 2. Heike Meissner (Germany) 55.89; 3. Anna Olichwierczuk (Poland) 56.18; 4. Monika Niederstatter (Italy) 56.34; 5. Yekaterina Bakhvalova (Russia) 56.39; 6. Malgorzata Pskit (Poland) 56.78; 7. Natasha Danvers (Britain) 56.93; 8. Sinead Dudgeon (Britain) 59.39.
Women’s 800 metres: 1. Jolanda Ceplak (Slovenia) one minute and 57.65 seconds; 2. Mayte Martinez (Spain) 1:58.86; 3. Kelly Holmes (Britain) 1:59.83; 4. Ludmila Formanova (Czech Republic) 2:00.23; 5. Claudia Gesell (Germany) 2:00.51; 6. Nedia Semedo (Portugal) 2:00.54; 7. Ivonne Teichmann (Germany) 2:00.87; 8. Natalya Dedkova (Belarus) 2:04.24.
Women’s 400 metres: 1. Olesya Zykina (Russia) 50.45 seconds; 2. Grit Breuer (Germany) 50.70; 3. Lee McConnell (Britain) 51.02; 4. Grazyna Prokopek (Poland) 51.53; 5. Anastasiya Kapachinskaya (Russia) 51.69; 6. Antonina Yefremova (Ukraine) 52.02; 7. Svetlana Usovich (Belarus) 52.10; 8. Birgit Rockmeier (Germany) 52.91.
Women’s javelin: 1. Mirela Manjani (Greece) 67.47 metres; 2. Steffi Nerius (Germany) 64.09; 3. Mikaela Ingberg (Finland) 63.50; 4. Tatyana Shikolenko (Russia) 63.24; 5. Angeliki Tsiolakoudi (Greece) 63.14; 6. Elisabetta Marin (Italy) 60.12; 7. Taina Kolkkala (Finland) 59.81; 8. Nikolett Szabo (Hungary) 59.28; 9. Felicia Tilea-Moldovan (Romania) 58.88; 10. Paula Huhtaniemi (Finland) 56.24; 11. Ingo Kozarenoka (Latvia) 55.28; 12. Kelly Morgan (Britain) 53.89.—Reuters