Huge but also expected Greek triumph at the US College Championship (NCAA) in Yujin, Oregon, with Costa Zalto to conquer the title in pound And Angel Mantzouranis take second place.
In the first final of this year’s championship, Costas Zaltos became the winner of the pounding with an individual record, 78.08 and his friend, athlete and fellow student at the University of Minnesota, Angelos Mantzouranis, second with 76.96.
Thus, Zaltos became the fifth Greeks with a victory in NCAA after Spyros Zulien, Yiannis Kyriazis, Angeliki Tsiovoudi and Katerina Stefanidis. He was 3rd in 2021 and 2022 and second in 2023, while Mantzouranis climbed to the third step of the podium in 2024.
The evolution of the race
Zaltos started with a shot at 76.92, taking the lead immediately, while the athletes of the first group had thrown their first three shots. Angel Mantzouranis responded with 76.84 and immediately the Greek battle for victory was triggered, as none of the other 22 had shots of this caliber in his hands.
Their second attempts were measured 76.72 and 75.36 respectively, while Tuesday Zaltos climbed to 77.18, with Mantzouran throwing 76.66. After a short break, to select the nine best, the race continued with the fourth attempt. Tariq Robinson-Hagan achieved a large individual record with 76.61, a shot that motivated the Greeks to improve.
Mantzouranis climbed to 76.96 and shortly thereafter Zaltos achieved a new individual record with 78.08 (old 77.91 from April 4, 2025), the 11th best performance in the world, just twelve centimeters away from the Tokyo World Championship.
A new rise to Robinson-Ohigan in the 5th shot with 76.78, while the two Greeks were invalid. In the final straight, in the last attempt, Robinson-Ohigan closed his 75.58 in third, while Mantzouranis chased the first by throwing 76.92. Zalto, as a champion, was now invalid and completed the American dream with the gold medal!