Kanter denies Alekna a fourth Olympic medal

  • 2012-08-08
  • By Jared Grellet

RIGA - Estonian Gerd Kanter has denied elder statesman Virgilijus Alekna what may well be the Lithuanian legend’s final chance to claim an Olympic medal, by beating Alekna into the bronze medal position in the men’s discuss in London.

At 40 years of age and already with two Olympic golds and a bronze to his name, Alekna went into London seeking what may well be his last hope of adding to his Olympic medal tally. Despite being six years older than any of the other competitors in the final field, Alekna was showing no signs of his age, throwing a first-up throw of 67.38 meters to put him in second spot, behind Iran’s Ehsan Hadadi at the end of the opening round of sixes.
Kanter was further back in the field, in fifth position.

But unfortunately for the Terpeikiai native, his first throw would be as good as it would get as he failed to come close to throwing the same distance again, with four of the next five attempts landing foul, and his only other recorded throw more than a meter shorter.

Despite his battle to make a throw that counted, Alekna remained in second spot up until the fifth round, when both eventual winner and pre-tournament favorite, Robert Harting of Germany, and Kanter, threw over 68 meters to move into first and third place, respectively, and push Alekna off the podium.
Kanter’s throw of 68.03 meters was a season-best, but he was unable to better it on his final attempt to move past Hadadi and Harting.

Thirty-three-year-old Kanter can now display the bronze medal alongside the gold he won in Beijing four years ago. He has also finished on the podium at the previous four world championships.