Andrei Mikhnevich of Belarus celebrates winning the men's shot put final (© Getty Images)
Olympia, GreeceAn historic moment for the Shot Put discipline and the sport of Athletics in general will take place here tomorrow.
Both the men's and women's competitions (preliminary rounds and finals) have been honoured, and will take place in the original Olympic stadium of antiquity in Olympia, rather than the modern stage in Athens.
The eventual medallists will also get their moment of glory in Athens, as their awards will be presented in the main Olympic stadium on Friday 20 August, during the evening session of that day's Athletics programme.
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Men's Shot PREVIEW
With the top four competitions of the year – 22.54m, 22.35, 22.25 and 21.74 – it was one of the greatest upsets when the 23 year-old World Indoor champion Christian Cantwell – IAAF World Rankings number one at the event - flopped badly in the Trials (4th 20.56) and failed to make the US Olympic team.
However, such is the strength of American shot putting that it would not be dangerous to wager on a US podium sweep for the first time at the Games since Rome in 1960! In all, the US have won 17 gold, 18 silver and 11 bronze medals at this event in Olympic history, and it looks like nothing will stop them adding to these totals in Athens.
Represented by three-time World champion (bronze medallist Sydney 2000) John Godina (21.71), Adam Nelson, the reigning World and Olympic silver medallist (21.68), and Reese Hoffa (21.67), the US are blessed with the three furthest throwers in the starting line-up.
Yet 28 year-old Andrey Mikhnevich of Belarus is not one to be intimidated by mere statistics. The reigning World champion who had a disappointing World Indoor campaign in Budapest where he finished sixth, continued at a low ebb early this summer with just one competition (20.19 – 5 June) above 20 metres. Then BANG, on 31 July he unleashed a mighty 21.23 season’s best on home turf in Stayki, Belarus.
The Belarussian, whose personal best is the 21.69 with which he won the World crown last summer in the Stade de France, might just have peaked at the right moment.
Separating Mikhnevich from the Americans on the 2004 world list is South Africa’s Janus Robberts with a 21.24 season’s best. The 25 year-old African record holder (21.97 – 2001) and two-time champion has long possessed the potential to win a major global title but has flopped on a number of occasions, notably the 2001 and 2003 World Championships. However, Robberts is now finished with US college commitments which in the past have necessitated him peaking twice in a season, and he now claims he is on course for gold in Athens.
Of the other 21m putters of 2004 summer, Chile’s surprise Area record breaker Marco Antonio Verni (21.14) must be viewed as an outside challenger given his limited major championship experience and recent rise to top world class. He started the year with a PB of just 20.38!
2003 World Indoor champion Manuel Martinez (ESP) is a prolific competitor, having had eleven competitions this summer. His one and only put over 21m came in Salamanca (21.06) on 13 July. His 21.47 PB also came from that same circle in 2002.
Just two other men are above the 21m line – Yuriy Belov of Ukraine (21.03) and Joachim Olsen of Denmark (21.00), who is the European silver medallist.
Of the large group of high range-20m putters this season, do not discount Ukraine’s 2002 European champion and 2003 World bronze medallist Yuriy Bilonog (20.88), who knows all about peaking for a championship. Possibly even Germany’s Ralf Bartels (20.88), the European bronze medallist, might figure too.
Finland’s reigning Olympic champion Arsi Harju, who also took the World bronze medal in 2001, is now out of the picture. After losing his technique after a good 2003 indoor season (21.00m indoor SB and 4th at World Indoor Champs – 20.96), he has suffered a serious chest injury this summer. Despite showing no form this season he was given a place in the Finnish trio for Athens, along with 2003 World Championships medalists Ville Tiisanoja (20.90) and Tepa Reinikainen (20.50), but has now withdrawn from defending his title.
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Women's Shot PREVIEW
It is a dangerous statement to make, especially with the competitive temperament of Germany’s 1996 Olympic champion Astrid Kumbernuss waiting to confound the form book but it is nearly certain that the women's Shot medals will be divided solely between Russia or Belarus in Olympia.
Only three women have so far put beyond 20 metres this summer. Topping the world list in 2004 are the Russians Irina Korzhanenko (20.79m) and Svetlana Krivelyova (20.69), and the Belarussian, Natalya Kharaneko (20.04).
The Russians also top the IAAF World Rankings for the Event - Krivelyova (1st) and Korzhanenko (2nd).
Yumileidi Cumbá of Cuba with a 19.97 PB win at the recent IberoAmerican Championships is the fourth best thrower of this summer on the performance list. Former three-time World champion Kumbernuss, who was the bronze medallist in Sydney is the next furthest (19.60), while Nadezhda Ostapchuk of Belarus, stands sixth on the lists with a 19.37 performance from back in May.
Reigning Olympic champion, and 2001 World gold medal winner Yanina Korolchik, who is also from Belarus, has not competed since winning the 2003 national title, while Russia’s Larisa Peleshenko, who took the silver in Sydney 2000 has retired.
Germany’s Nadine Kleinert (19.27), and Olga Rybinkina of Russia (19.12) are the only other athletes in the world this year over 19 metres, such is the sudden and dramatic drop-off from the very top of the world’s elite to those of more moderate international standard.
But returning to our opening remarks, it would be one of the biggest shocks of Games history should neither 2003 World champion Krivelyova, 35, who was the Olympic champion in 1992, nor Korzhanenko, 30, the European champion, take the Olympic laurels.
Significantly, Korzhanenko has taken two 20 metre competition battles ahead of Krivelyova this summer, first beating the World champion in Kazan (8 July – 20.65 to 20.49), and then at the national championships in Tula (20.79 to 20.69).
With another 20m competition in Tula on 5 June (20.42) to her credit, Korzhanenko, who won the 2003 World Indoor title, stands as the Olympic favourite.
It is not beyond possibility that Russia will take a podium sweep, as Rybinkina their number three, is close in the current season’s lists to Cumbá and Kleinert, who were the minor World Indoor Championships medallists this winter.
NOTE. The annual problem of very few international competitions on which to judge form is repeated this again year, as few of the world’s top-10 have actually met in action this season.
Chris Turner
IAAF Editorial Manager
