22.22m meet record for Christian Cantwell in Zagreb (© Zagreb meeting organisers)
Americans Christian Cantwell, Reese Hoffa and Cory Martin, the world’s top three shot putters in 2010, will lead a classy field at the Nordhäuser Energie Shot-put-Indoor meeting on 21 January.
Cantwell, the reigning World champion indoors and outdoors, led the World last year with a 22.41m effort, and will be gunning for a third victory at this competition in central Germany. Cantwell set the meeting record of 21.47m in his season opener in 2009.
Hoffa, a former World indoor and outdoor champion, was next on the 2010 season’s list at 22.16m and was the winner here in 2007. Martin, a relative newcomer to the international circuit, exploded onto the scene last year when he joined the 22-metre club after a 22.10m effort to end last season as the third farthest thrower in the world.
Alongside the individual competition will be a team race between Germany and the USA. Leading the German challenge will be Ralf Bartels, the 2009 World Championships bronze medallist, who will team with Marco Schmidt whose 20.58m career best came in Nordhausen last year where he finished third. German rising star David Storl, a former World youth and World junior champion, is on the mend from injury and will be among the spectators this year.
The women’s competition is expected to be a duel between German Denise Hinrichs, the reigning European indoor silver medallist, and Italy’s Chiara Rosa, who was fifth at the 2008 World Indoor Championships.
Raik Bischof for the IAAF
Cantwell, the reigning World champion indoors and outdoors, led the World last year with a 22.41m effort, and will be gunning for a third victory at this competition in central Germany. Cantwell set the meeting record of 21.47m in his season opener in 2009.
Hoffa, a former World indoor and outdoor champion, was next on the 2010 season’s list at 22.16m and was the winner here in 2007. Martin, a relative newcomer to the international circuit, exploded onto the scene last year when he joined the 22-metre club after a 22.10m effort to end last season as the third farthest thrower in the world.
Alongside the individual competition will be a team race between Germany and the USA. Leading the German challenge will be Ralf Bartels, the 2009 World Championships bronze medallist, who will team with Marco Schmidt whose 20.58m career best came in Nordhausen last year where he finished third. German rising star David Storl, a former World youth and World junior champion, is on the mend from injury and will be among the spectators this year.
The women’s competition is expected to be a duel between German Denise Hinrichs, the reigning European indoor silver medallist, and Italy’s Chiara Rosa, who was fifth at the 2008 World Indoor Championships.
Raik Bischof for the IAAF
