By Mike Collett

LONDON (Reuters) - Krisztian Pars added the Olympic title to the European crown he won last month when he clinched the gold medal in the hammer throw at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday.

The 30-year-old secured Hungary's fourth gold of the Games with a throw of 80.59 meters to finish ahead of defending champion Primoz Kozmus of Slovenia, who took the silver with his season's best effort of 79.36 meters.

Japan's Koji Murofushi, the 2004 Olympic champion and reigning world champion, took the bronze medal, also heaving a season's best of 78.71 meters. Another former champion, Szymon Ziolkowski of Poland, the 2000 Sydney Olympic gold medalist, finished seventh.

Pars, maintained Hungary's tradition in the event with their fifth gold, after finishing fourth in Beijing four years ago.

He took the lead with his first round throw of 79.14 meters and improved that two rounds later with the only throw over 80 meters in the competition.

"I just wanted to win it," he told reporters. "I wasn't thinking about anything else. From the first round it was obvious my competitors were not going to throw over 80 meters so I am happy with what I did."

The competition was held up for 15 minutes after a foul throw from Kozmus partly dismantled the cage which had to be re-assembled by officials, much to the good-natured amusement of the crowd at the Olympic Stadium.

(Reporting by Mike Collett, editing by Ed Osmond)