News08 Jan 2008


“Technically at a new level” Kanter targets Schult’s record and Beijing glory

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Gerd Kanter of Estonia in action during the Men's Discus Throw Final (© Getty Images)

Growing up in the western Estonian village of Tiduvere, World Discus Throw champion Gerd Kanter dreamed of becoming not a track and field athlete but a star of the NBA basketball courts. He had a poster on his wall of iconic Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan but his hopes were dashed when a sports school refused to accept him to play his boyhood passion.

“I wanted to be a basketball player,” said Kanter. “But my level wasn’t very good and at that time I wasn’t very tall, either.”

After dabbling with wrestling, volleyball and sprinting he later discovered the Discus – and what was basketball’s loss has most definitely been track and field’s gain.

The 28-year-old Kanter ended 2007 as a clear No.1 on the World Lists with 72.02m and also World champion after finally ending the dominance of Lithuanian discus king Virgilijus Alekna in Osaka.

Alekna will be back

Kanter profited from a below-par competition from Alekna to strike gold in Japan with 68.94m to avenge gut-wrenching defeats to Alekna at the 2005 IAAF World Championships in Helsinki and 2006 European Championships, when the Tallinn-based thrower has to settle for silver medals.

However, although the Estonian has proved top dog in 2007 he refuses to believe he was finally gained the upper hand on the Lithuanian and he is still aware of the threat posed by the double Olympic champion.

“It looks like next year he is going to be back,” said Kanter of Alekna. “Last season he started out very good and threw long distances. He still performs at a very high level, so he knows what to do to get the same level back.”

“He has to understand he is not the same age, so he has to cut down some training. Sometimes you can train too hard and not get better. Sometimes you can train less and still throw very far.”

A World record in early season?

For Kanter, however, his achievements have further helped raise his profile in his native Estonia. He was awarded Athlete of the Year in his homeland and has undergone a succession of interviews and receptions since striking gold in Osaka. But despite the distractions he refuses to take his eye off the ball and remains 100 per cent committed on his future goals.

“Nothing has really changed,” he explained after his gold medal winning performance in Osaka. “I’ve still got my hunger. The first step was getting the World championship title, the second step is getting the World record and the third step the Olympic title, so there are still two more steps to go.”

Many would view the Olympic target as the more achievable of his two future ambitions but we should not rule out a World record for the Estonian. Last year a monster effort of 73.38m in Helsingborg, Sweden catapulted him to third on the all-time list behind German Jurgen Schult (74.08m) and Alekna (73.88).

But when does Kanter believe he can capture the long-standing 21-year-old World record of Schult?

“Maybe in the US in the spring,” said Kanter. “I am not really focused on the World record but I could see myself doing it early because last year around April/May I was already in very good shape. If I’m in the same shape next year and get good conditions, it could happen.”

Since returning to training in October, Kanter, who is coached by former Icelandic discus thrower Vesteinn Hafsteinsson, has recovered from a niggling back problem and he also believes the cold winter in Estonia this year has acted as a blessing.

He has been forced to work indoors on his technique and he believes he is “technically at a new level.”

More time to develop

Kanter is, of course, not the first Estonia discus thrower to make his mark internationally. His compatriot Aleksander Tammert won European and Olympics bronze medals. Meanwhile, Lithuania has produced Alekna and the 1992 Olympic champion Romas Ubartas but why do the Baltic States unearth so many great throwers?

“It’s more like we have big guys who are better suited to throwing than sprinting or long distance, so it suits our physical size,” explained Kanter. “You also don’t need to be the best in throws at 20-years-old, so you also have time to develop.”

But, for now, his sole focus is on Beijing, where he hopes to match the achievements of his countryman, Erki Nool who landed Decathlon gold at the 2000 Sydney Games.

Nool was famous for his enthusiastic fan club, which used to light up the Decathlon competitions with their passionate support for the gifted multi-eventer

But has Kanter yet reached those levels of popularity?

“Not yet, because the Discus is different to a Decathlon,” he insisted. “Decathlon is a two-day event but discus can be over in one hour.”

Steve Landells for the IAAF

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