Nadzeya Ostapchuk won the women's shot gold with a throw of 20.48m.

Nadzeya Ostapchuk led home a Belarus one-two from compatriot Natallia Mikhnevich in a reversal of the finishing positions from the 2006 European Championships in Göteborg.

In a masterclass of shot putting from this great throwing nation they were only denied a clean sweep of the podium when a last round effort by Russian champion Anna Adeyeva dislodged 2000 Olympic champion Yanina Pravalinskay-Karolchyk from the bottom rung of the podium to take bronze.

Four years ago in Sweden, Mikhnevich edged an epic battle by just 0.01, but on this occasion Ostapchuk prevailed by the far more comfortable margin of 0.95 with her best throw of 20.48m taking the title in emphatic style.

Ostapchuk is unbeaten in finals throughout the year and as the gold medal winner at the World Indoor Championships in Doha in March she lived up to her billing as one of the hottest favourites of the championships. Mikhnevich has been in her shadow for much of the season so it was no surprise, nor indeed any disgrace, to relinquish her European crown in this fashion.

Nadine Kleinert, the world silver medallist, had led the qualifiers from earlier today and after posting a decent opening throw of 18.94m it seemed realistic she would mount a sustained medal challenge. However, the German failed to improve upon on this mark and wound up a disappointing seventh overall.

By the time the first round was complete, though, it was Ostapchuk – who else? - who led following a first round 19.67m with Kleinert’s countrywoman Petra Lammert in third with 18.84m.

Round two saw Ostapchuk furiously snatch her towel in disgust after registering a foul, but there was movement behind as Mikhenvich loomed within 0.15 of the leader with 19.52m and the unheralded Russian Olga Ivanova nudged into the bronze medal position with 18.97m.

In round three, Avdeyeva briefly replaced Ivanova in third with a 19.25m mark only for Pravakinskay-Karolchyk to respond by bettering the Russian champion’s effort by 0.04.

In round four – and with the field reduced from 14 to eight – Ostapchuk produced a mighty 20.43m to give herself clear blue water on the opposition and effectively seal victory.

The competition then went into a lull until the final round brought the best out of several of the leading contenders.

Ivanova produced her best throw of the competition with 19.02m but could not improve on her fifth place position. Avdeyeva, however, did make a significant move with a season’s best 19.39m to climb into bronze and raise her arms in delight.

Pravalinskay-Karolchyk could only match her third round effort of 19.29m with her sixth attempt and so Belarus missed the opportunity to claim a first clean sweep of the medals in this event at a European Championships since the Soviet Union achieved the feat in 1954.

As for the lead two Mikhevich improved her competition best by 0.01 could make no serious inroads into Ostapchuk’s lead. As for the champion, already relaxed with the gold medal in her pocket, she left her best until last with a final effort of 20.48m.