Robert Harting of Germany celebrates after taking second place during the Men's Discus Throw Final (© Bongarts/Getty Images)
Harting’s personal best upstages Alekna in Kaunas
9 June 2008 – Germany’s Robert Harting upset home star Virgilijus Alekna at the Kaunas 2008 meeting on Sunday (7).
Harting, the silver medallist at last summer’s World Championships where Alekna finished fourth, produced a solid series topped by a career best 68.85m to beat the Lithuanian, who reached 68.18m.
Both of the big throws came in the third round. Harting delivered a very consistent series: 67.66m, 67.85m, 68.65m 67.79m 66.34 before fouling his final effort.
In the quality competition, Hungarian Zoltan Kovago (65.57m) was fourth and Piotr Malachowski of Poland (65.52m) fifth.
Elsewhere in men’s action, Russian Pavel Fomenko and Canadian Michael Mason cleared 2.27m in the High Jump, Tonis Sahk of Estonia won the Long Jump with a 7.84m leap, and Ukraine’s Sergiy Demidyuk won the 100m Hurdles over America Jeff Porter 13.58 to 13.68.
The highlights on the women’s side of the programmed included Elge Balcunaite won a close 800m contest over Russian Natalya Tsyganova, 2:01.23 to 2:01.39. Frenchwoman Phana Anarchasis upset Russian Olympic medallist Natalya Antyukh in the 400m, 51.92 to 52.48.
Alfons Juck and Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
