Just 8 centimeters separated the top two finishers in the women’s javelin throw on July 10, the opening day of the Kazakhstan Athletics Championships.
The competition is taking place at the Olympic Training Centre stadium in Almaty Region. The favorite in the women’s javelin was the multiple-time national champion Varvara Nazarova from East Kazakhstan Region.
So when Diana Geintz from Pavlodar Region took the early lead with her first attempt — 47.04 meters — it instantly sparked intrigue. In fact, it was a personal best for Geintz. Nazarova’s response: 45.38 meters.
But in the second round, Varvara pulled ahead — just barely — throwing 47.12 meters to claim the lead by a narrow 8-centimeter margin. That small shift ignited even more intensity in the field. You could see that both athletes were locked in, aiming to improve their marks. Nazarova came close again in her third attempt with 46.70, while Geintz’s best after her opener was 42.65.
After the event, Nazarova admitted she was nervous stepping into the javelin sector, and it clearly affected her throws.
Still, while neither athlete managed to improve further, their tight competition was a clear positive — the kind of duel that pushes athletes to the next level. Because as everyone knows, rivalry is a proven path to progress.
Third place went to Natalia Sokolova, also from East Kazakhstan Region, with a throw of 42.20 meters. At 20 years old, she was the youngest among the medalists. Notably, just a month earlier at the national Youth Games, Sokolova had claimed victory with a personal best of 47.25 meters — clearly marking her as another serious contender in the javelin scene.
July 10. Kazakhstan Athletics Championships. Women’s Javelin.
- Varvara Nazarova (East Kazakhstan Region) – 47.12
- Diana Geintz (Pavlodar Region) – 47.04
- Natalia Sokolova (East Kazakhstan Region) – 42.20
In the photo: July 10, 2025 – Varvara Nazarova prepares for an attempt. Photo by Konstantin Knyazevich.
